


All the Forces of Evil

by GAvillain



Series: Quite a Glittering Assemblage [3]
Category: Disney - All Media Types, Gotham (TV), Kingdom Hearts, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Video Game), Once Upon a Time (TV), True Blood (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Crossover, Disney villains - Freeform, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Post-Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Team Dynamics, Villain Protagonist, Villains who act like villains, part three
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 196,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22248874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GAvillain/pseuds/GAvillain
Summary: The Olympians have fallen, and the Overtakers, Maleficent's team of villains gathered from across many worlds, are in power. More petty and vengeful than the previous pantheon of gods, the Overtakers now have turned their sights towards expanding their power to encompass the rest of the cosmos. Yet the path to power is not a simple one, and the Overtakers may find truth in the phrase "it's tough to be a god."Part three of Quite a Glittering Assemblage. This fic probably won't make a ton of sense if you haven't read the first two parts unless you're just really good at going with the flow. This fic will be more episodic and less structured than its predecessors.A Kingdom Hearts based crossover with various other fandoms featured as "Other Worlds." The main characters are a villain team who do villainous things but (for the most part) genuinely like each other. Contains M/M, M/F, and F/F ships. Tags will be updated as pertinent. Only major characters are tagged.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Jafar, Evil Queen/Cruella de Vil (Disney), Fish Mooney/Ursula (Disney), Hades/Maleficent (Disney), Loki/Victor von Doom, Russell Edgington/Steve Newlin
Series: Quite a Glittering Assemblage [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1231838
Comments: 122
Kudos: 24





	1. A Freak Like Me Needs Company

**Author's Note:**

> ~*~The Overtakers~*~  
> *Main Cast: Maleficent (Kingdom Hearts/Sleeping Beauty), Hades (Kingdom Hearts/Hercules), Ursula (Kingdom Hearts/The Little Mermaid), Loki (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), Doctor Doom (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), Russell Edgington (True Blood), Fish Mooney (Gotham), Jafar (Kingdom Hearts/Aladdin), Captain Hook (Once Upon a Time)
> 
> *Supporting Members: Queen Grimhilde (Kingdom Hearts/Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Steve Newlin (True Blood), Cruella De Vil (Once Upon a Time), Blackheart (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), Ardyn Izunia (Final Fantasy XV), Amora the Enchantress (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), Kieran Wilcox (MTV's Scream)
> 
> *Minor Members: Pete (Kingdom Hearts/Mickey Mouse cartoons), Kingpin (Spider-Man: the Animated Series), Sarah and Mary Sanderson (Hocus Pocus), Trakeena (Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy), Cora (Once Upon a Time), Princess Audrey (Descendants 3)
> 
> ~*~PREVIOUSLY~*~
> 
> After the Overtakers were defeated in their quest to use the Book of Prophecies to rule all worlds, the villains were enslaved by an interdimensional evil entity known as the Master. Only Steve Newlin and a small team of minor villains remained free. Newlin attempted to lead the remaining Overtakers, but a run in with a dragon's tooth put a stop to his intentions. Eventually, the other Overtakers managed to infect the Master with a curse and destroy him.
> 
> However, the Master was simply a tool unleashed by Hades's father, Cronus the Titan King, an ancient force of evil and chaos who sought to unite three powerful gems to control time itself. Upon learning of the gems, Maleficent set her sights on harnessing their power as well. The Overtakers managed to seize control of two of the three gems before Cronus could get his hands on them. However, the third eluded them.
> 
> While searching for the final gem, numerous other excursions took place, such as Doom obtaining immortality from the Old One Imshael, Jafar and Hook hunting for a magic lamp containing Eris, Radiant Garden falling to darkness again at the hands of Ansem, and Maleficent obtaining the Armageddon Key from Chernabog. However, as these adventures were had, Cronus's forces attacked the Eminence Palace, stole the two gems that the Overtakers won, and abducted Hades. Maleficent was forced to ally with Zeus to bring down the Titan King.
> 
> Using the dark powers of Princess Rapunzel and a well executed plan, Maleficent and the Overtakers managed to defeat Cronus and bring down Zeus himself in the process. However, using the last of his energy, Zeus spirited Hercules away to safety. The Overtakers stood triumphant as the new Lords of Olympus.

Five women dressed in white chitons took form atop the amphora, looking utterly dejected and defeated. They were the Muses, goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes. Yet the current situation was not one that could in any way be considered heroic...

"You can say that again, honey," Thalia said with a deep sigh.

"The gods of mighty Olympus fell to the power of the Overtakers," Calliope reported.

"And without them to defend it," Terpsichore added, "the rest of Greece followed."

The somber tones of the third arrangement of the Gospel Truth began to echo around the five goddesses.

" _The villains ruled the world_ ," Melpomene began to sing. " _But since their thirst for power don't stop, they still pursued more wicked schemes, so look out near and far!_ "

"Tell it, girl!" Clio added encouragingly.

" _But all the heroes wept,_ " Melpomene continued to sing, " _because their efforts all were in vain. They had to watch their precious values destroyed by-_ "

"JAFAR!" Thalia called out in terror, not even realizing that she'd completed the rhyme scheme.

A red bolt of energy shattered the amphora, and the Muses vanished along with it. Jafar sneered in disgust as he kicked aside a shard of pottery.

"Ugh, I thought we'd _finally_ rid ourselves of all of Olympus's more... annoying attributes," Jafar hissed.

"Oy those five are like roaches," Hades griped. "One minute ya think they're gone for good, the next, they're poppin' up with a new musical number to make me sound like a jerk."

"Well, if the slipper fits...," Jafar said.

"Hey now, watch it, Jaffy!" Hades warned. "Let's not forget whose decisive leadership got _you_ to the closest position a mortal can get to godhood."

"Yes, your leadership was certainly decisive," Jafar said as he stroked his beard. "Where were you leading us from again? Oh yes! Now I remember! You were inside Cronus's stomach!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, ya smarmy vizier," Hades grumbled.

"Better a smarmy vizier than a blowhard hothead," Jafar said with a sinister smirk.

"Boys, boys, you're both pretty," Russell Edgington said with a chuckle as he strolled in.

The crunching sound when Russell stepped on a shard of pottery caused the vampire to hesitate a moment as he entered.

"Problems with the interior design?" Russell asked as he dusted the ceramic grains off of the bottom of his shoes.

"The Muses," Hades said. "Apparently they didn't have the courtesy to fade away into darkness like the rest of the gods and goddesses. The nerve of some people, am I right?"

"Some people just don't know when to fuckin' quit," Russell agreed. "Speakin' of, any word on Wonder Boy?"

"I managed to bribe Grimhilde into scrying for him, but so far she's turning up zilch," Hades grumbled. "Zeusy's little dying wish spell must be keeping him just outta reach of the mirror."

"Perhaps we were fortunate, and he simply perished in the realm between," Jafar suggested.

"When do we ever get that lucky?" Russell asked with a roll of his eyes.

"We were lucky enough to conquer the gods themselves," Jafar argued.

"No, _that_ was talent and planning to achieve our final goal," Russell pointed out. "You're talkin' about a lucky break that'd make our lives easier without us doin' a damn thing. Two completely different things. Though, Hades, on the subject of gods and our shitty as fuck luck, who'd Maleficent end up taking to the parley with Asgard?"

"She took Ursula to help negotiate the fine print, and she took Loki to get under Odin's skin a little," Hades answered.

"A terribly dull affair by my estimate," Jafar remarked. "I've little interest in making peace with our enemies. When the time comes to usurp the Aesir, _then_ I shall lend my services."

"In chess, you've gotta play the long haul, Jaffy," Hades stated. "Think two steps ahead of your opponent before you can take 'em down!"

"Concern yourself too heavily with the two-steps ahead, and you'll miss the opportunities of the present," Jafar countered, "a mistake I've no intentions of making any longer. I've delayed my revenge on Agrabah for _far_ too long. I attack _tonight!_ "

"Small potatoes, babe, c'mon, we've got _Olympus_ here," Hades said. "You wanna be a sultan when you can be a god? Why go back to amateur hour?"

"There's a certain streetrat infestation in the palace that I simply cannot ignore," Jafar hissed. "Consider it a... _personal_ matter."

Jafar vanished into a Corridor of Darkness with a sinister grin plastered on his face, leaving Russell and Hades alone in the amphora gallery.

"You think he can pull it off?" Russell asked.

Hades shrugged. "Not my problem. I'm not gettin' involved in his vendetta spree. I've got my own plans to prepare for. Speaking of, did you do what I asked ya to do?"

"The Underdrome's all set up and ready to go," Russell reported. "I'm lookin' forward to the carnage that's about to ensue."

Hades smirked devilishly. "No better way to celebrate ultimate victory than to find out who has what it takes to reign supreme as the champion of the all new _Overtaker Cup!_ "

* * *

Most everything inside of the Hollow Bastion castle was in ruin after Ansem and Xigbar unsealed the Keyhole once again, but Maleficent still wanted to hold onto control of the ruins regardless. Fish couldn't imagine why they'd need Hollow Bastion when they already had the Eminence Palace, Mount Olympus, and Orlais, but she wasn't about to question Maleficent. Doctor Doom was hunched over a computer terminal, working intently on something that Fish Mooney couldn't decipher.

"The remodeling on this place is going to be one Hell of an undertaking," Fish remarked, trying to initiate small talk with Doom.

Doom, however, simply gave a non-committal grunt and kept his eyes focused on his work. Fish rolled her eyes and tried again.

"The crystal technology running the lift system is pretty impressive," she said. "Though I'm sure you've already thought of a way to improve it."

"Naturally," Doom replied without offering any further elaboration.

After another moment of uncomfortable silence, Fish spoke up again. "So what _are_ you working on?"

"Rewriting the code of Operation Repose and incorporating it into my Doombot protocol," Doom answered.

"Wait... so you're giving _yourself_ complete control of this castle?" Fish asked, putting the pieces together.

"You speak as though you're surprised," Doom said, inputting one final line of code into the terminal.

As he did, the device embedded on Doom's wrist flashed green in recognition of its new authority.

"Though the main purpose of my tampering with the code was to account for the damages done to the castle's mainframe during its fall to darkness," Doom explained. "I've improved the processing power tenfold, and reduced waste within the system. Why Ansem the Wise thought it pertinent to house a digital world within his mainframe is beyond me, but I've done away with this so-called Space Paranoids."

Fish crossed her arms and glared at Doom. "Fine, just don't get any ideas about this being a new Castle Doom. If Hollow Bastion is anyone's, it's mine and Ursula's after the work we put in to get it."

"Newlin did more than either of you, and you well know it," Doom huffed.

Fish was about to argue when Hook entered the room to rejoin his allies. She'd almost forgotten that she'd deployed him to investigate the lower levels of the castle. The stench of must and mold from the waterways clung to his jacket, and his boots were covered in splatters of blood.

"Is that your blood?" Fish asked.

"We had... stowaways," Hook said. "A few Radiant Gardeners were holed up in the waterways to survive the town's fall to darkness. I crossed their paths, and, well, dead men tell no tales."

"Was it really necessary to kill them?" Fish asked with a groan. "We could've used some servants to help get this place back in working order."

"Doom needs no assistance on that front," Doom boasted as he summoned up five Doombots to begin putting to work.

"Besides, you didn't want these peasants, I can assure you," Hook remarked. "All of them were ugly as sin. Gazing upon their hideous visages nauseated me. If you're going to go through life with such repulsive faces, at least have the courtesy of dying in apocalyptic cataclysms so that the survivors don't have to find you."

"The misshapen among us still hold _some_ value, pirate," Doom said.

"Do they, though?" Hook asked skeptically. "I've yet to encounter anyone that unsightly who wasn't equally wretched to deal with in all walks of life."

Fish massaged the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh. "One of you stole a castle right from under me with a few keystrokes, and the other one is arguing that ugly people deserve to die. How did I wind up with this particular group?"

"Fortune favored you, love," Hook said with a grin.

"Indeed," Doom agreed.

"Though, have either of you considered the symmetry of our names?" Hook asked, earning confused looks from Fish and Doom. "Well, you see, a _fish_ meets its _doom_ when snagged on a _hook_."

Doom shook his head and groaned. "I've little time for such childish remarks."

"We _are_ the three Overtakers who go by nouns other than our first names," Fish said with a shrug.

"And might I inquire as to how a lovely woman like yourself acquired such a nautical moniker as 'Fish'?" Hook asked. "I assume it wasn't given to you by your mother."

Fish shook her head. "No. My birth name is Maria, though no one's called me by it in years. It all started when I was a young up and coming mobster back in Gotham. The mob in those days was mostly a bunch of Italian men, though the racial and gender limitations were starting to dissolve. I was the first woman in Gotham's mob trying to make a name for herself. The men, as men are wont to do, were threatened by me. 'Fish' was a little insult they came up with after an unfortunate heist in a cannery down at the bay."

"An odor I know quite well," Hook interjected, scrunching up his nose in disgust as he recalled chasing down Greg and Tamara in Storybrooke's cannery.

"Well I hated it at first," Fish explained. "But over time, I realized that it wasn't going away, and I said to myself 'This can either be used to keep you down, or you can make it lift you up.' So I decided on the latter. I started using dead fish as warnings for those who were behind on payments. Started adding scales to my wardrobe. I let my friends call me Fish as a symbol of being on my good side, and anybody who called me that who was _below_ me took a beating. It became sort of a gatekeeping method to where I could control the narrative of Fish Mooney. The cuttlefish DNA splicing later was just a happy coincidence... or Hugo Strange having a sense of humor. One or the other."

"Somehow, against the odds, it suits you," Hook replied.

"As Hook suits you," Fish added. "You chose a fitting replacement for your hand."

"Doom was born Doom and will ever _be_ Doom," Doom added.

"You're a real team player, aren't ya?" Fish teased.

Though Fish couldn't see beneath the mask, through Doom's eyes, she could tell he had smiled at that.

* * *

On the neutral ground of a barren asteroid of gummi material, six figures gathered for parley. Per the terms of the parley, three figures were in attendance for each side. Maleficent stood between Ursula and Loki to represent the Overtakers, whilst Odin was flanked by Thor and Lady Sif to represent Asgard. Maleficent was looking regal and haughty, Ursula was looking smug, Sif and Thor were looking uncomfortable, Odin was looking as if someone had spit in his coffee, and, because Odin was looking so deeply perturbed, Loki was looking like a child who'd just been told that Christmas would come early.

"Allow me to jump right to the point," Maleficent said as she broke the silence. "Olympus is mine, and the Olympians are gone. Asgard will, of course, acknowledge the Overtakers' status as the new gods of Olympus and they will withdraw all troops from Olympian territory at once."

"We will NOT!" Thor bellowed angrily. "We will-"

Odin held up a single hand to silence his son.

"Your terms are steep, Mistress of All Evil," Odin said. "Similar terms were made by you when you took command of Avalon. What became of that regime, again? I may be old, but I know quite well that the Lord of Avalon who I collaborate with today is not among your ranks, Maleficent."

"Give it a month, bright-eye," Ursula said with a sneer. "We'll have Avalon back under our belt and even more territory than before!"

"Or, perhaps in that month, you will lose Olympus as well, and I will be dealing with its proper master once more," Odin said. "There is little stability offered by your Overtakers, and your keeping company with my vagabond of an adopted son only heightens your organization's lack of stability."

"If I still sought your approval, that might have stung, father," Loki said with a smirk.

"Perhaps my meaning is not clear," Maleficent said. "If our demands are not met, then Asgard will be considered an enemy of Olympus, and there will be bloodshed. You saw what became of the last pantheon injudicious enough to cross us. Do you wish for the Aesir to meet a similar fate?"

"Loki and Doom's place on your ranks confirms that you will target us no matter what the answer," Odin argued. "By refusing you, we can, at least, maintain our sense of pride."

"Then it seems we are at an impasse," Maleficent said as she crossed her arms.

"It seems we are," Odin nodded. "Convey my respects to Doom, and tell him that I hope he has enjoyed getting to keep his skin."

In a flash of rainbow light, the three Asgardians vanished from the parley. Loki sneered angrily at Odin's parting quip.

"Your dad reminds me of Triton," Ursula said. "That's not a good thing."

"His arrogance is unending," Loki spat. "I look forward to destroying him."

"As do I," Maleficent agreed.

"Then why bother with this parley in the first place?" Ursula asked. "You had to know he was never gonna accept the likes of us as the new Olympians."

"True enough, I realized that this meeting would likely be an exercise in futility," Maleficent conceded. "However, it was not a total waste of my time. I had the opportunity to see how Odin would react to the threat of the Aesir's destruction and the degree to which he believes them to be at risk of sharing the Olympians' fate. I now have a clearer picture of how I wish to proceed, and what my time table shall be."

"It was most enjoyable watching my three least favorite people squirm as well," Loki remarked.

"Now then, let us return to Olympus," Maleficent said. "We've other matters with which to attend. While Sora and Riku are no longer a concern, the King and his fools will not be so easily subdued. We should begin making preparations for battle."

"Ha! I've got _quite_ a surprise waitin' for Mickey and his stooges," Ursula boasted. "I'd love to see them try to set foot on Mount Olympus. It'll be a scream!"

Ursula punctuated her meaning with a gleeful chuckle. Maleficent opened the Corridor of Darkness back to Olympus, and the three villains stepped through, arriving at the courtyard.

"I believe now is as good a time as any to discuss remodeling plans," Maleficent said. "Perhaps a task suited for- OOF!"

Maleficent caught herself from falling with her staff. The cause of her near-tumble rolled casually away from her. The evil fairy glared at the plank of wood with wheels attached and summoned it to her hand. She gave the toy a glance over. There seemed to be nothing remarkable about it, but why it had been left here was another matter entirely.

"PETE!" she bellowed.

"Yes, m'lady?" Pete asked as he came running to her side.

"What is this?" Maleficent asked as she held up the wooden plank.

"Hmm? Oh! Dat dere's a skateboard, see?" Pete said. "Them kids today use it to slide themselves all 'round like a buncha luggage."

"And _what_ is one doing here?" Maleficent asked, growing impatient.

"Beats me," Pete said with a shrug. "They seem to just pop up in other worlds all random-like. Sora used to ride 'em around a lot whenever he'd find one."

"A child's toy that manifests itself on different worlds?" Maleficent said with a sneer. "How vexatious. Purge this world of these... so called skateboards! Then find the source of these toys and destroy it! I do not wish to see another skateboard on any of my worlds. If I do, it will be on _your_ head!"

"Oh, yes ma'am, understood," Pete nodded fearfully.

"Now GO!" Maleficent ordered, shoving the skateboard into Pete's arms.

Pete scurried off as Loki and Ursula broke into laughter at the sight.

"Something amusing?" Maleficent asked with a huff.

"Yes," Loki replied without elaborating further. "At any rate, if you intend to redecorate, might I suggest greens and golds?"

"Still swimming and singing like a whale, I see," Ursula said with a wink as she gave Loki a playful nudge.

"I loathe you," Loki said with a grimace.

* * *

The Evil Queen Grimhilde peered into the dungeon cell where Rapunzel was chained to the wall. The girl was silent, unable to make a sound. Her black hair hung limply at her side, and her empty black eyes stared off at nothing in particular.

"You're quite certain you can handle the responsibility of guarding this dungeon?" Grimhilde asked as she turned to face the new guard.

"Of course, your majesty," Prince Hans nodded. "And if I may say, I am quite appreciative of the fact that I was invited back for such an esteemed position."

"So you should be," Grimhilde said. "Now do not fail us! Rapunzel is a critical piece of our success."

"What's one princess going to do?" Hans asked. "Paint my fingernails until I surrender? I've got this."

"You know the penalty if you fail," Grimhilde warned as she left the dungeon.

Hans scoffed and took a seat next to the dungeon cell, leaning back in his chair and yawning as he began his watch. Unbeknownst to Hans, he wasn't the only one watching Rapunzel at that moment....

* * *

Pain and Panic were camped out just outside the Underdrome at the sign-up board for the Overtaker Cup. Officially, they were there to monitor and recruit new admissions to the tourney. In actuality, they were thumb wrestling and progressively shapeshifting into different animal forms that would give them the bigger advantage in the thumb war.

"Excuse me," a raspy voice said. "Is this where the tournament sign up is?"

A giant purple gorilla and teal blue squid looked back at him before shapeshifting back to their usual forms.

"Yes it is! Only the toughest of the tough make it in!" Pain declared.

"Yeah, you've gotta go toe to toe with the best!" Panic reiterated. "Think you can handle it?"

"Oh, I think I'll manage just fine," the man said with a cackle.

"What's with the get up?" Pain asked when he got a good look at the emerald green armor the man was wearing and the demonic face imprinted upon the man's mask. "You some sort of freak?"

"A _freak?_ " the man asked, laughing a bit more. "Heh... yes, I suppose _freak_ is as good a word as any. And a freak like me needs a little... _company_."

"Um, what did you say your name was, sir?" Panic asked as he pulled out the clipboard and sign-up sheet.

The yellow visors covering up the man's eyes slid back, revealing his true human eyes underneath. "You can call me the Goblin... the _Green_ Goblin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Green Goblin is the one from the Raimi Spider-Man film. More information to be revealed about him later.


	2. Setting the Rat Trap

Pete strolled down the city street as a group of kids skated past him without giving him a second glance. The lighthouse was lit and revolving around even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Pete peered around the drawbridge and squinted at the large sign adorning the hills across the river.

"Olliewood, huh?" Pete said aloud. "So this here's the world where all dem skateboards are comin' from. Maleficent's gonna be happy to see this one go ka-blooey!"

Pete chuckled to himself at the notion.

"Hey man, what's so radically funny, dude?" a young woman in a Rastafarian hat and pink tinted sunglasses asked as she skated up to Pete.

"Oh, uh, well, ya see..," Pete stuttered, not realizing that his evil laughter would be heard by anyone. "I just... uh.... thought of somethin' funny my friend said once, and, uh, well, ya kinda had to be there to get it."

"Inside jokes, I feel ya. Tubular," the woman said. "Name's Leslie, by the way. Don't think I've seen you hangin' around here in Olliewood before. Who are your peeps?"

"Peeps? Ain't those them little marshmallow chickens ya get on Easter?" Pete asked.

"He's got the tight jokes, I dig it," Leslie said as she crossed her arms.

"So, uh, Leslie, whaddya know about skateboards poppin' up in other worlds?" Pete inquired.

"Other worlds? Those were tight when we were kids, yo," Leslie answered. "They're so out, they're kinda in, now that I think about it. But that's a Bobby thing, ya dig? He had all the scoops and hook-ups, dawg."

"I'm not a dog," Pete grumbled. "Where d'ya think I can find this Bobby kid."

"Naw, man, he's not a kid anymore," Leslie said. "He's my age, yo. He hangs down at the skatepark teaching kids how to grind. Dude's got a radical heart, man, ya feel me?"

"I... I'd rather not _feel_ you," Pete said, taking things literally. "But I think I'll go find this Bobby feller and have a little chat with 'im."

Finding Bobby was no difficult feat. Just as Leslie said, he spent most of his days down at the skatepark. A crowd of younger kids gathered around the twenty-something year old as he showed off by performing a feisty tuna trick for all to see. His floppy brown hair was hidden beneath a helmet, and though his signature number 99 jersey had seen wear and tear over the years, he still wore it proudly.

"Get outta my way, ya brats!" Pete growled as he shoved his way through the crowd of children. "Go on, scram, I got me some business with Mr. Bobby here."

The children scattered, and Bobby dismounted his skateboard in confusion.

"Hey man, what gives?" Bobby asked.

"You! You're the one what knows 'bout them other worlds," Pete said. "Isn't dat right?"

"Other worlds?" Bobby asked. "You mean like where Simba, Tarzan, and Buzz live?"

"You know Simba?" Pete asked, scratching his chin. "You ever meet his Uncle Scar? He's a friend of mine."

"I mean, I knew Simba and Tarzan back when we were all kids," Bobby explained. "And, yeah, I met Scar once or twice. Totally creepy dude. Hey, wait a minute, if you know Scar, that means you're from there. The... other worlds."

"I'll be askin' the questions here, see?" Pete warned. "Now, how'd ya get to the other worlds? Ya have a Gummi ship? Or maybe Corridors of Darkness?"

Bobby shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I just... I dunno, it's like I could feel the hearts of the others out there. Then I just... sorta... believed and the gates opened. Nothing really else to it."

Pete scratched his head. "You sure the gate wasn't made of darkness?"

Bobby shook his head. "Naw, man, it was definitely light."

"Fine, fine, that's all I wanted to know," Pete said as he turned and walked away.

As he walked back down the streets towards the office building plaza, Pete mused to himself about the information he'd obtained. Maleficent had ordered the source of the skateboards destroyed, yet this world clearly had secrets connected to linking worlds together. That made it valuable. There was a chance he'd meet Maleficent's wrath for calling her, but the potential rewards were worth it.

"Maleficent, your excellency!" Pete called out to the sky. "I think I've got somethin' that you're gonna wanna see!"

A flurry of green fire deposited the evil fairy next to Pete. She scrunched her nose in disgust at the sunny sea-side city that she found herself in.

"And why would you think I'd have any interest in seeing this?" Maleficent asked with a scowl.

"This here world is the source of the skateboards," Pete said. "But it's not just skateboards slippin' through the cracks. This here world has some sorta portal system connecting it to some other worlds. It ain't the darkness neither."

"Fascinating," Maleficent remarked as she studied the area. "Yes, yes, I can feel the power now. The veil between worlds is thin here. If I had to wager a guess, I'd suspect this world is situated amidst a crossroads of Gummi paths."

"There's this kid named Bobby who opened up the path," Pete said. "He said he felt the other hearts out there and just believed and the portals came."

"Yes, that foolish prince who became a beast performed a similar feat when I took the princess from his castle," Maleficent replied. "There is a power in strong hearts capable of transcending worlds. What worlds are connected to this one?"

"I know the Pride Lands is one," Pete said. "And he mentioned knowin' a Tarzan from another..."

"Deep Jungle," Maleficent nodded. "Go on."

"And, uh, I think he mentioned one other," Pete said. "Somethin' about a Buzz somethin' or other."

"That name is not familiar to me," Maleficent said. "No matter. We know the Pride Lands and Deep Jungle are not connected to each other in any way. The connection _must_ lie in this town. You have done well, Pete. There must be some way we can use this world's unique qualities to our advantage."

"Maybe we should go to the connectin' worlds," Pete suggested. "Could be useful to figure out why those three in particular got all tied up in this."

"An excellent idea," Maleficent agreed. "I shall put our associates to work at once!"

* * *

The metal clank of Doom's fingers rapping against his armored forearm echoed throughout the cavern as the doctor stood waiting outside the Underdrome. Doom growled impatiently under his breath as another minute passed. He hated being kept waiting like some common unimportant fool, and Doom knew quite well that the fact that he hated it so much was exactly why Loki was keeping him waiting today. Just as Doom contemplated teleporting back to his lab and throwing their daily plans out the window, Loki appeared in a flash of green magic.

"I have been standing here for twenty minutes," Doom growled. "Doom's time is not a commodity to spend so frivolously."

"Apologies, I had difficulty deciding what to wear," Loki said with a smirk.

Doom knew that to be a lie and not only because Loki was wearing the same outfit he almost always wore.

"Shall we proceed inside?" Loki asked as he gestured towards the coliseum. "I look forward to witnessing a glorious battle."

"Glorious battle?" Doom scoffed as he and Loki proceeded into the arena. "Compared to the clashes we've found ourselves in, the displays we shall see before us will be nothing more than childish squabbles."

"True... at least in comparison to _my_ battle prowess," Loki remarked with a grin. " _Yours_ still leaves much to be desired."

"Have you forgotten so quickly that _I_ saved _you_ from your brother and his handsome associate?" Doom asked. "If anyone's talents are to be called into question, it is your own!"

"Perhaps, yet I never indebted myself to an Old One as a result of my own miscalculations," Loki argued.

Judging by the look of rage that flashed in Doom's eyes, Loki could tell that he'd won that little verbal spar.

"Doom does not miscalculate," he argued before storming ahead into the private booth.

Hades and Russell were already there when Doom and Loki arrived. Hades was looking smug and haughty, while Russell was currently looking miserable and frustrated.

"Am I correct in assuming that Hades won the bet?" Loki asked with a smirk. "Come now, Russell, no one is particularly fond of sore losers."

"Go fuck yourself, Loki," Russell said with a scowl.

"The benefit of my ability to make doppelgängers of myself is that I actually can," Loki replied.

"Boys, you've been missin' some top shelf entertainment," Hades chimed in. "The souls are fighting like their afterlives depend on it... oh wait, _they do_. HA!"

"We would have been on time," Doom grumbled, "if it were not for a certain tardy party who apparently delights in trying my patience."

Loki chuckled at that. "I love you too, Victor."

"Shh, the next match is about to start," Russell said. "Maybe I can finally make some fucking progress out of the hole on this one."

"Yeah, sure, good luck with that," Hades taunted. "But, uh, next match I've got in the bag. There's no way that a seasoned sorcerer like Tzekel-Kan is gonna be losing to some clown calling himself the Green Goblin. Ya might as well pay up now, babe."

"Green Goblin?" Doom asked as he and Loki shared a glance.

They'd known Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, from their homeworld. However, he was very much alive and well last time Doom and Loki saw him when he gave them control of the Sinister Six. Either way, his presence here promised a much more exciting battle than originally anticipated.

Two dead souls entered the arena. On one side was an El-Doradan man wearing no shirt, a tribal kilt, and face paint markings. On the other side stood a man dressed all in green armor with a demonic looking mask for a helmet. Though it was obvious that the second man was meant to be the Green Goblin, his appearance was distinct from the goblin that Doom and Loki knew. Their Green Goblin wore an ensemble that much more closely resembled a Halloween costume. It was certainly possible that their Osborn had chosen to don a different outfit, but it was unlikely. After all, Osborn was always nostalgic about his goblin costume; he never washed it and always said it smelled of blondes and death.

"Let the match BEGIN!" Hades declared.

Tzekel-Kan began to glow with green magic as he levitated off the ground. His pupils vanished as his eyes began to glow the same shade of green. The Goblin simply laughed.

"I see you've chosen my favorite color," he teased. "Unfortunately I think it suits me far better than it does you!"

"I can't wait to taste your blood!" Tzekel-Kan said with a fiendish laugh as he flew towards the Goblin.

Kan attempted to tackle the Goblin, but the Goblin grabbed onto Tzekel-Kan's shoulders in a firm grip and flipped Kan onto his back, slamming the sorcerer hard into the stone floor. Kan gasped out in pain as his green aura vanished. The Goblin prepared to bring his fists down on Kan's face, but Kan unleased a wave of fire directly between him and the Goblin. The Goblin performed a backflip to evade the flames, and he landed securely atop his metal bat-like glider that hovered just above the reach of the fire. Kan scrambled back to his feet.

"If you think _that_ turned up the heat, you haven't seen what I've got in my arsenal yet!" the Goblin taunted with a maniacal laugh.

The Goblin took a pumpkin bomb into his hands and activated the explosive. He hurled the bomb towards Kan, who retaliated by throwing a blast of mystic energy at the explosive to detonate it early. Kan managed to avoid being blown to smithereens, but the force of the blast still sent the sorcerer tumbling backwards. The Goblin, atop his glider, flew over the area of the explosion, circling about in search of his prey amidst the smoke. Kan spread his arms, creating a swarm of spiders that began to overtake the area, spinning their webs and muddying the Goblin's range of vision.

"Spiders, huh?" the Goblin asked with a laugh. "Well what a tangled web we weave. Apparently you didn't get the memo: dealing with _spiders_ is my specialty!"

The Goblin unleashed his razor bats to slice through the webs and chop the closest spiders to him into bits. But while the Goblin preoccupied himself with the spiders, Kan unleashed a powerful bolt of mystic energy that slammed directly into the Goblin's chest, knocking the supervillain off of his glider. The Goblin quickly recovered and laughed at the cheap shot. He tapped a button on the forearm of his armor, and the glider began to fly about on its own without a rider. Kan gasped but was too late to save himself from the glider ramming into him from behind.

The Goblin had intentionally set the glider's frontal blades to be retracted. After all, he was once bitten, twice shy with the potential adverse effects of such a move. As a result, the glider only knocked Kan forward, though it probably broke a few bones in the process. The goblin strolled up to Kan and delivered Kan a powerful kicked to the gut and a punch to the jaw, disorienting the sorcerer.

"Y'know, I love to test out my toys, but sometimes it's best to just get back to the basics," the Goblin said.

As Kan struggled to regain his footing and reorient himself, the Goblin grabbed Kan in a headlock, and with a twist powered by his enhanced strength, the Goblin snapped Kan's neck. The Green Goblin let out his loudest and most sinister cackle yet as he tossed Tzekel-Kan's lifeless corpse to the floor. The crowd broke into thunderous applause, and Russell's mood completely changed.

"HA! My guy won that one!" Russell taunted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Hades grumbled. "You're still in the red for our bets."

"I like his style though," Russell said. "He's got that Overtaker flare to him. Could be a useful asset to our team."

"If he can win the tournament, I'll consider it," Hades said. "But that means he's gonna have to beat all the champions to get there, not just the opening match!"

"Oh, he _will_ ," Russell said with a smirk. "I can already tell this one's the winner!"

Doom tapped his fingers against his chin in contemplation. "I'd be most interested in learning what this goblin's story is. If he's anything like the Green Goblin from my world, it's almost certainly a story worth telling."

* * *

Aladdin finished reattaching the canvas that kept Abdul's vegetable stand shaded from the intense sun.

"There, that should do the trick," Aladdin said as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Bless you, Aladdin!" Abdul said graciously as he waved good-bye to Aladdin.

Aladdin strolled over to where Abu and Iago were lounging about in the shade with a bunch of grapes that they were taking turns snacking on.

"Boy this whole rebuilding stuff sure is tiring work," Iago said as he popped a grape into his mouth. "We should get better sandstorm insurance on this place. I don't think I can handle any more reconstruction."

"Yeah, you work _so_ hard, Iago," Aladdin said sarcastically. "I'm not sure how you do it."

"It's my big heart," Iago replied. "The generosity just flows and keeps on flowing."

"The Bazaar is officially back in one piece!" Genie announced as he walked over, wearing a hard hat and a construction uniform. "Though I still think we should have added a bowling alley or something."

"A parrot spa would be my pick for the new amenities," Iago chimed in.

Jasmine and Carpet descended to join the others. The princess hopped off of the rug and thanked it for the ride, earning a thumbs up from Carpet in response.

"The repairs from the sandstorm are coming along nicely," Jasmine said. "The people of Agrabah are very grateful for all the hard work we've been doing."

"Tell 'em I accept all major coins and jewelry for gratuity," Iago replied.

Genie snapped his fingers and a pile of worthless coins fell on top of Iago, burying the parrot.

"Now that's what I call being the _change_ you wanna see in the world," Genie quipped.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and not have another sandstorm hit the city for a while," Aladdin said hopefully.

The sound of thunder crashing overhead told Aladdin that luck wasn't on Agrabah's side today. The entire sky above turned blood red, and an evil cackle that sent a chill down Aladdin and his friends' spines echoed throughout the city. In a flash of lightning, the image of Jafar's crimson genie form manifested in the sky above the palace.

"JAFAR!" Iago shrieked as he dove and hid inside a cart of straw.

"ALADDIN!" Jafar's voice boomed. "The time is nigh for us to settle our score, street rat! I have the Sultan as my prisoner! Unless you wish for your beloved wife to be left an orphan, you will face me in the throne room of the palace at once!"

Jasmine gasped at Jafar's threat, and Aladdin glared angrily at the specter hovering above the city.

"Don't worry, Al," Genie said. "We've beaten Jafar before. We can do it again! Let me at 'em! I'll show _him_ which genie is only second rate this time!"

"Oh, and by the way," Jafar said. "Your genie will _not_ be in attendance for our little reunion. Unless you wish to leave Agrabah to the mercy of the Heartless."

On cue, a Demon Tide composed of thousands of Shadow Heartless emerged from the desert and began to fly and swirl over the city, circling it like a hungry predator seeking its prey.

"Oops, spoke too soon," Genie said, looking dejected.

"Don't worry, I can handle Jafar," Aladdin promised. "You just keep Agrabah safe."

"Come, Aladdin," Jafar ordered. "It is time we ended our feud once and for all!"

"Oh we're finishing it alright," Aladdin swore under his breath, "just not the way you want!"

"Aladdin, no, it has to be a trap!" Jasmine said.

"I know, but it's one I'm gonna have to walk into to save the Sultan," Aladdin replied.

Iago poked his head out of the straw. "Please tell me it's over!"

"Iago! You know Jafar better than anyone!" Aladdin said. "What's he planning here?"

"He likes to be sneaky and deceptive, but he's also a dramatic primadonna who likes to make a big scene out of everything," Iago said. "You remember how he was when he got the lamp! If he's at the point of trying to stage a grand finale, then he's been sneaking around setting the scene with something that he thinks is gonna guarantee him his victory and now he's just letting loose and milking the drama."

"There has to be some way we can save father without walking into Jafar's trap," Jasmine said desperately.

"Jasmine, I just don't see a way to get around this one," Aladdin admitted. "But if Jafar thinks his victory is a guarantee, then maybe his overconfidence can be used against him. Every time he's threatened Agrabah, I've beaten him. And today's not gonna be the day that stops being true."

"I'm coming with you," Jasmine insisted.

"What? No! It's too dangerous," Aladdin said, shaking his head.

Jasmine fired a venomous glare at Aladdin.

"Uh, I mean, you're definitely coming with me," Aladdin said sheepishly.

"That's right," Jasmine nodded.

"Good luck, Al!" Genie said. "See ya on the other side!"

Genie flew off to deal with the Heartless as Aladdin and Jasmine hopped onto the magic carpet and took off towards the palace.

Iago ducked back into the pile of straw. "I think I'll just stay here and hide."

* * *

Hook watched through his telescope as Aladdin and Jasmine flew towards the palace.

"He's coming," Hook announced.

"Of course he is," Jafar said with a devilish grin. "Is the genie with him?"

"No, just the carpet and the princess," Hook announced.

"Excellent," Jafar said with a chuckle as he turned to face his other two associates. "You two know what to do."

Blackheart and Ardyn Izunia grinned wickedly at the notion.

"Oh quite well," Ardyn assured Jafar.

"I'm going to enjoy this!" Blackheart declared as he and his associate vanished together into a Corridor of Darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Olliewood and all associated characters are from Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure. Bobby is the name I've given to the main create-a-skater based on the default design seen on the cover art and in-game loading screens.
> 
> Tzekel-Kan is from The Road to El-Dorado.


	3. Jafar's Hour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for this chapter. See end for details.

The stench of blood hung heavy in the air as the corpse on the floor continued to leave a considerable mess on the stone tiles. Kieran wiped the blood off his knife and removed his blood splattered mask to face his companion.

"How was that?" Kieran asked with a smirk.

"Oh, darling, that was poetry in motion," Cruella said as she clutched her chest. "I'm going to need a cigarette after that."

As Cruella lit her cigarette and took a drag from it, she tossed the pouch of money at Kieran. He caught the bag and emptied some of its contents into his hand before replacing it.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Kieran said. "Who was this guy, by the way? Why'd you want him dead?"

"Hmm? Oh, nobody in particular," Cruella said. "Just some random fool off the streets. I haven't been able to kill since Isaac took that ability away from me, and I've missed getting to enjoy the feeling of taking a life. Watching others kill for me is as close as I can get."

Kieran laughed a bit to himself as he left the room. "So I'm basically your murder-prostitute? And they call _me_ deranged."

Cruella admired the bloody corpse as she took another drag from her cigarette.

"Smashing!" she said as she left the room.

Reinvigorated by the murder she just witnessed and feeling a bit frisky as a result, Cruella headed down to Grimhilde's laboratory, where the Evil Queen wiled away the hours.

"Darling, I'm on a murder-high," Cruella announced as she entered the room. "I'm thinking we go get champagne and lobster them come back here to have sex that makes us scream loud enough to wake the skeletons in your dungeon!"

But she received no response, and when Cruella looked over the dungeon, all she saw was a figure in all black hunched over a spellbook.

"Darling?" Cruella asked cautiously as she approached the figure.

"No! Stay back!" a raspy voice answered.

"Grimmie, dear, are you coming down with a cold?" Cruella asked. "You sound wretched."

"I said stay back!" Grimhilde spat angrily.

"Oh please, you can't be _that_ contagious," Cruella said. "A nice lozenge, a spot of tea, and you'll be right as rain. Now let's go! I need to be somewhere loud, and I need a beautiful- UGH!"

Cruella recoiled in disgust when she laid eyes upon Grimhilde. Gone was the queen's usual beauty and regality, and, in its place, her hideous hag form had returned.

"I warned you," Grimhilde growled as she turned back to her work.

"What happened?" Cruella asked. "I thought you were done with the hag nonsense after the Master was destroyed."

"Evidently, I was not so fortunate," Grimhilde replied. "I became the hag in the first place through the use of my mother's spellbooks, thus invoking the power of Chernabog. The Sandersons' potion was able to counteract it, but their magic draws power from Mephisto. With Mephisto dead and Chernabog restored, it is the black god's transformation that holds the strongest effect."

"Can't you just cast another spell to change back?" Cruella asked, her voice betraying how repulsive she found her girlfriend's current predicament.

"It's not that simple," Grimhilde explained. "This form is a part of my very being now. I can no more be rid of it than I could my own true face. However, I am working on a spell that would allow me to transform back and forth between the two forms. It would only be temporary, of course, but half a life lived as the fairest is better than to lose it completely."

"I suppose I could... perhaps... get used to this face on you," Cruella said with uncertainty. "Though I will _not_ kiss you or sleep with you in this form. Sorry, darling, but I have my limits to how much I can tolerate that 'beauty is skin deep' nonsense."

Grimhilde nodded. "I would expect nothing less, and I would not feel such affections for you if you _could_ be wooed by such a hideous face."

"Glad we understand each other," Cruella said with a sigh of relief. "I do so loathe those sappy 'I love you either way' couples. Totally delusional and impractical by my measure. Though your hag form _is_ wonderfully frightening. I _would_ love to see the looks of horror it could impose on the rabble."

Grimhilde grinned, showing off her lack of teeth in this form. "Perhaps we should put that horror to the test... inflict a crippling trauma upon some innocent youngsters."

Cruella cackled wickedly. "Now see there, darling, _that_ is why I adore you!"

* * *

The scent of decaying flesh and body odor was overpowering in the locker rooms outside of the Underdrome. And even amongst dead souls, the pungent stench of Axe Body Spray was being used in an attempt to mask the odor.

"This stench reminds me of Thor," Loki remarked with a scowl as he and Doom entered the locker room.

"I count myself most fortuitous that my mask's air filtration system is in working order," Doom added with a sly look in Loki's direction.

The trickster god rolled his eyes and proceeded onward. "The Goblin's run has been most impressive. First came his defeat of Tzekel-Kan, then he made short work of that disgusting Shou Tucker fellow, and then finally even the mighty fire giant Oblie fell at his hands."

"Yet the final match may prove to be his undoing," Doom pointed out. "The snow leopard continues to best every opponent he encounters as well. Their battle in the finals will be a most difficult one to determine the outcome."

"Regardless, it should prove to be quite a show," Loki said with a laugh.

The two villains arrived at the Goblin's locker room and let themselves in. The Goblin was out of his costume, dressed in a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up as he tinkered with his glider. Outside of his costume, Loki and Doom could tell that, despite his different hair style from the Osborn back in Midgard, this Goblin was indeed Norman Osborn.

"Who are you two?" the Goblin asked with a vicious glare towards the intruders.

"You do not recognize us," Doom noted, speaking more to himself than to the Goblin. "Then you clearly are not the Osborn from my world or even one with parallel versions of us."

"I'm not Osborn!" the Goblin insisted. "Osborn was a weak fool who never had what it took to do what had to be done. That's why I took over, and now that he's dead, I can run this show the way I've always wanted."

"He's lost himself to his alter ego," Loki noted.

"The trauma of death must have triggered it," Doom added.

"Don't speak about me like I'm not here!" the Goblin snapped angrily.

"Apologies, my dear Goblin," Loki said with a slight bow. "I am Loki, God of Evil, and my associate is Doctor Doom. We're simply fascinated by your existence here. Our world had a version of you who was once an ally of us both, yet you are distinctly not the man we knew."

"An alternate reality?" the Goblin asked.

"Of a sort," Doom nodded. "Perhaps we would benefit from hearing your story."

The Goblin eyed them suspiciously but ultimately relented. "Very well. Oscorp was at risk of losing its military contract for its version of the super soldier serum. They needed a human trial, and Norman decided to use himself as the guinea pig. There was a lab accident and then bingo, ME! I did what I had to do and killed who I had to kill to preserve Osborn's power. But then the itsy-bitsy spider came along and meddled in my affairs. To add salt to the wound, he refused my generous offer to rule New York by my side. What he didn't count on was me finding out who he was behind the mask and going after his precious little girlfriend. But then Spider-Man killed me, impaled me on my own glider, and I found my way to this God forsaken realm."

"Quite a journey," Loki remarked once the story was done.

"Indeed," Doom nodded.

Both Doom and Loki mused to themselves that the Goblin's story was very similar to the one he'd had in their world, just abbreviated slightly. Yet Osborn managed to survive his death at Spider-Man's hands in their world, while this version succumbed to his wounds. The difference had interesting implications with regards to this Goblin's mortality.

"Well, I believe we shall leave you to prepare for your final match," Doom said after a brief pause. "I wish you good fortune."

"Put on a good show," Loki said with a chuckle as he and Doom took their leave.

As the two strutted out into the hallways away from the locker rooms, Loki began to laugh a bit to himself.

"And what is it that you find so amusing?" Doom asked.

"We sought out the Goblin to bolster the Overtakers' forces once before," Loki explained, "yet he refused. And now another Goblin has been dropped right in our laps."

"He's madder than the one we knew," Doom pointed out. "No longer even Osborn at all."

"Easier to control," Loki argued. "A madman can be counted on to behave madly, but you never truly know when a sane man is going to snap. Besides, it's Norman Osborn who was a potential threat to us. The Goblin can be wrapped around our little finger."

"You're assuming he'll survive his final match," Doom pointed out. "He's of no use to us dead."

"Quite true," Loki agreed, "but if he is to die so easily, he'd be of no use to us as it is."

"Then I suppose we shall have to allow the bloodsport to decide," Doom said.

"How terribly uncivilized," Loki sneered.

* * *

The Demon Tide tore through Agrabah, a myriad of Heartless swirling and dropping from the Tide in numbers the likes of which Agrabah had never experienced before. Genie took one look at his butterfly net before tossing it aside.

"This little stuff ain't gonna cut it this time," he said to himself. "Time to go with Operation Frozen!"

In a twinkle of magic, Genie's appearance morphed into a more feminine frame as he donned a sparkly blue ice dress and a platinum blonde wig.

"Alright, Heartless," he said. "I think it's time for you to LET IT GO!"

Genie began to dance and sing as he flung bolts of magic into the Heartless swarm. With each blast, the Demon Tide shrunk smaller and smaller. Genie couldn't help but grin as he managed to repel the Heartless. With any luck, he'd be able to finish up quickly and then go help Aladdin against Jafar. However, Genie quickly discovered that his hopes were far too optimistic. The Demon Tide vanished into thin air without so much as a single trace that they'd ever been in Agrabah. Genie looked around, trying to figure out where they'd gone, but the only thing he saw was a man in a long black coat and fedora approaching.

"Bravo! Bravo! Oh quite well done, my dear Genie!" Ardyn said as he applauded the genie's efforts.

"Uh, thanks," Genie said as his appearance returned to normal. "I don't think I've seen you around the marketplace before."

"No, I don't suppose you would have," Ardyn said. "I tend to avoid such places given my particular aversion to sunlight and heat."

"Well if there's two things Agrabah has in abundance it's sunlight and heat!" Genie commented. "And sand. Lots of sand."

"So I've noticed," Ardyn remarked. "When Jafar takes over, I shall have to request that he rectify that situation."

"What-a-huh-now?" Genie asked. "Look pal, I don't know what kinda game you're playing at here, but my buddy Al's gonna stop Jafar and save Agrabah."

"Oh I wouldn't bet on that," Ardyn said with a devilish grin, "especially when I've been sent to deal with _you_."

Genie pushed away his momentary shock to put on a determined face. "Just you try it, pal! Whatever magic you've got tucked away is nothing compared to my semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic pow-"

But Genie didn't get the chance to finish before a comet of black fire crashed into him, knocking him into a fruit vendor's stand and scorching him with ash. The comet cackled demonically as Blackheart returned to his usual form.

"I've always wanted to test my powers against a genie," Blackheart said as he grinned devilishly. "A pity so much power gets wasted on miserable slaves."

"I. Am. A FREE genie!" Genie declared as he pulled himself out of the wreckage and dusted himself off. "This Genie's a slave to no one!"

"Except, of course, Aladdin," Ardyn taunted. "Now do be silent. Slaves should be seen and not heard."

Dark energy radiated around Ardyn's hands, and he seemed to be waving his arms about in a taunting manner. With a sinister smirk, he flicked his wrists and hurled the dark blasts towards Genie. Genie attempted to fly out of the way, but the darkness quickly caught him and caused him to double over in pain. Blackheart seized the opportunity to deliver Genie a punch to the jaw and a kick to the stomach that inflicted worse pain upon the genie.

"This is very satisfying," Blackheart said with a cackle, "hurting someone so annoying."

"Me? _Annoying?_ " Genie asked. "Oh yeah? Well, pot," Genie unleashed a blast of magic that transfigured Blackheart into a clay pot, "meet kettle!" Genie unleashed a second blast of magic to transfigure Ardyn into a tea kettle.

The pot that had once been Blackheart started to sprout long black quills before it shattered completely, revealing Blackheart's true demonic form.

"Big mistake, clown!" Blackheart growled.

Blackheart unleashed demonic energy from his claws. Genie, however, transformed himself into a baseball player and swung the bat at Blackheart's magic, sending the dark energy barreling back towards its master. Blackheart dove out of the way at the last minute to avoid being incinerated by it.

"Now THAT was a home run!" Genie boasted.

Black smoke began to billow out of the tea kettle's spout, and from the smoke, Ardyn Izunia emerged once more as well.

"I suppose I'll have to swear off tea for the foreseeable future," Ardyn quipped. "Wouldn't feel entirely appropriate now, you understand."

"So you don't like tea," Genie said, "but do you like trains?"

Ardyn tilted his head, puzzled at the question. "Why would you ask if I like trai-"

It was, at that moment, that a train appeared out of thin air and ran over Ardyn.

"Well it's not midnight, but you can probably still get to Georgia if you stay on this line," Genie quipped.

Blackheart was up once again, and the demon was lunging towards Genie with his claws outstretched and murder flashing in his bright red eyes. Genie transformed into a matador and waved a red cape off to the side.

"Toro! Toro!" Genie called out.

Blackheart passed harmlessly through the cape, but as he stumbled forward, his tail wrapped itself around Genie's arm, causing the genie to lose his footing. Blackheart whirled around and summoned up a demonic blade to slice the genie's arm off. Genie screamed in horror.

"OH! THE HUMANITY!" Genie cried. "HOW WILL I EVER GO ON? ... Oh wait." In a flash of blue smoke, a replacement arm appeared in its place. "Well that sure was a disarming experience."

A streak of black smoke emerged from the train off in the distance, and it flew towards Genie. Genie attempted to dodge the smoke, but Ardyn managed to tackle Genie to the ground as he re-emerged.

"I have had enough of this!" Ardyn said through gritted teeth as he clutched Genie's face with his hands.

Once, long ago, Ardyn's hands healed the innocent of the incurable Starscourge, but now, they were only good for corrupting. Genie struggled to get free, but Ardyn's grip was too powerful as the darkness began to seep into the genie's body, corrupting him into a daemon. Blackheart returned to his humanoid form and laughed as the darkness overtook the annoyance. Genie began to contort and grow gruesome appendages all over his body as his eyes glossed over black and his blue skin became a grayish purple. Blackheart snapped his fingers and the daemonified genie was sucked into a pendant hanging around his neck.

"Phenomenal demonic powers, itty-bity living space," Blackheart taunted as he ran his fingers over the pendant.

"Well that ought to give Jafar the edge he needs," Ardyn said with an evil grin. "I always did want to test my corruption powers against someone so powerful."

"Anything interesting in his memories that you absorbed?" Blackheart asked.

"No, and the number of popular culture references he has memorized is unseemly," Ardyn replied.

"Fair," Blackheart nodded.

* * *

Aladdin and Jasmine walked into the throne room of the palace, side by side, as Jafar and Hook stood together on the opposite side of the room with the Sultan in chains beside them. Jafar grinned wickedly at their arrival, and Hook raised an eyebrow as he looked them over.

"These are the adversaries who vexed you in the past?" Hook asked as he gestured towards Aladdin. "From your description, I expected someone who bathed with some frequency or at least bothered to wear proper footwear."

"Don't make the mistake of underestimating him," Jafar sneered. "He may be a lowly street rat, but he has an aggravating tendency to survive and muster unlikely victories."

"I thought this was just gonna be old friends, Jafar," Aladdin said as he tried to figure out what Hook was capable of. "Who's your friend."

"Captain Hook here is the only one worthy of standing at my side," Jafar said. "I had hoped that you'd have brought my treacherous parrot along with you. I would have liked for Iago to have seen exactly who had replaced him. No matter. I'll find him after I finish dealing with you!"

"Let my father go!" Jasmine ordered.

"Does that ever really work or do you hero types just feel the need to say it for the sake of hearing your own voices?" Hook asked. "Of course we're not going to let the bloody Sultan go."

"Indeed not," Jafar added. "No, the Sultan _will_ die for the years of holding me back and forcing me to endure his insufferable, childish incompetence!"

"Jasmine, dearest, get away from here, now!" the Sultan said. "I'm old. I've lived my life! Save yours!"

"No, I won't leave you!" Jasmine swore. "We're all going to make it out of here alive!"

"My dear princess, don't fill his head with false promises," Jafar scolded as a crooked smile crept onto his face. "After all, your dear mother never kept _her_ promise to stay alive, now did she?"

"You shut up about her, Jafar!" Aladdin interjected angrily, rushing to his fiancée's defense.

Hook quickly drew his sword and pointed it at Aladdin. "Back off, mate!"

"And why should I be silent?" Jafar asked as his smile widened. "After all, I've been sitting on this secret for years. My dear Princess, _I_ was the one who hypnotized your mother into throwing herself from the tower."

"What?" Jasmine asked, her voice quavering.

"You might have only been a child, but I know the memory is in there somewhere," Jafar hissed. "You awoke and saw us that night, but I sent you back to bed and assured you it was nothing more than a bad dream. Oh how you cried the next morning when you learned that your nightmare was a reality! I'll treasure your sobs for all eternity."

Jasmine gasped and clutched her hand over her mouth as tears began to streak down her face as the memory resurfaced. Aladdin wrapped his arms around her and glared daggers at Jafar.

"I thought I was the one you wanted revenge on," Aladdin said. "Leave Jasmine out of this!"

"You speak as though my vengeance doesn't extend to the shrew whose vile tongue lashed out at me for _years_ ," Jafar said with a sneer.

"Aye, and besides, the quickest way to inflict pain upon a man is to hurt his heart," Hook added. "Jasmine is simply where you keep yours."

Jafar stroked his beard as a smile crept back onto his face. "Which reminds me, our _time_ table needs to proceed forward...."

Jafar spread his arms outward and unleashed waves of swirling crimson energy that ensnared Jasmine and the Sultan.

"JASMINE!" Aladdin cried out as he rushed to aid her, but the force of Hook's boot knocked him back.

When the magic cleared, Jasmine and her father were sitting in the base of a giant hourglass. The sand was gathered at the top, but it had not begun to fall yet. A small piece of metal blocked the sand from descending, and it appeared to be attached to a large mechanism in the shape of a cobra.

"Hook, my love, will you do the honors?" Jafar requested. "I _would_ if not for my pesky limitations preventing me from killing."

"NO!" Aladdin shouted as he attempted to run towards the hourglass.

"Gladly," Hook said with a grin as he pulled the lever.

When he did, the cobra mechanism removed the piece of metal and allowed the sand to tumble down into the base of the hourglass, raining down on top of Jasmine and the Sultan. Aladdin had no idea how much time he had, but if he didn't act quickly, Jasmine and her father would be suffocated by the sand. The Sultan hugged his daughter nervously as they backed away from the falling sand. Just as Aladdin reached the hourglass, he took a bolt of red lightning to the chest from Jafar's snake staff, sending him stumbling to the side.

Jafar let out a wicked cackle as he proudly declared, "This is my finest HOUR!"

"I bristle at the gratuitous puns you feel compelled to make," Hook remarked with a roll of his eyes.

When Aladdin got to his feet, he found his path to the hourglass blocked by Jafar and Hook.

"No genie or Key bearer to save you this time, Aladdin," Jafar declared. "It's time we learned if the street rat can truly amount to anything on his own. The rules are simple. All you must do is to defeat the two of us before the sand in the hourglass runs out. Succeed and you'll save your beloved. Fail? Hmph, well, I think you can guess."

Jafar's fist began to swirl with flames as he hurled a fireball at Aladdin. The street rat, however, was far too light on his feet, and he managed to avoid the flames. Aladdin drew his scimitar and held it aloft.

"You want a little swashbuckling, mate?" Hook asked with a laugh. "I think you'll find it unwise to cross blades with a pirate."

Hook rushed towards Aladdin, swinging his cutlass in such a way that it forced Aladdin to jump backwards after each swing. Eventually, Aladdin saw his opening. He swung his blade, and Hook only just managed to catch it against his own. Jafar attempted to add his magical might to the fight, but the magic carpet wrapped itself around the snake staff and attempted to fly off with the scepter.

"Foolish rug!" Jafar spat. "Aram kaza butabus!"

With his incantation, the carpet began to unravel, releasing the staff. Meanwhile, Hook and Aladdin crossed blades multiple times as Hook continued to force Aladdin backwards. However, what Hook didn't notice was that Aladdin was adjusting his body ever so slightly every time to angle himself towards the hourglass. Eventually, once they were both parallel to the hourglass, Aladdin baited Hook into a swing that allowed him to jump back. When he did, Aladdin found himself with a clear path towards the hourglass.

"NO!" Jafar shrieked as he erected a wall of fire between Aladdin and the hourglass. "Hook, keep him away from the hourglass! Don't test my anger!"

"A little bloody help would be appreciated," Hook said through gritted teeth.

"Must I do everything?" Jafar asked with a roll of his eyes.

With a wave of Jafar's hand, the floor beneath Aladdin's feet became incredibly slick and slippery like ice. Aladdin slipped and began to slide directly for the wall of fire. Thinking quickly, Aladdin adjusted his blade to be angled against the floor to slow himself and allow him to steer himself to slide away from the flames.

Jafar continued to fire blasts of scarlet energy towards Aladdin, and the street rat continued to dance around them. Hook rushed towards Aladdin again with his sword drawn. When Aladdin spotted a metal shield lying on the floor next to him, an idea struck him. He picked up the shield, and, when Jafar fired his next bolt of red magic, Aladdin made sure the shield took the blast. The magic ricocheted off the metal and struck Hook right in the chest, blasting the pirate backwards and knocking him unconscious.

"Zaba kabudabra!" Jafar chanted quickly, casting a healing spell over Hook.

Hook staggered to his feet. "I don't need your bloody help, alright?"

Jafar smirked to himself at how similar Hook was to Iago in that regard, always insisting that he could sustain himself without magic even when all evidence pointed to the contrary. Before Jafar could turn his attention back to the battle, Aladdin hurled the shield at Jafar's legs, tripping him up and knocking him to the ground. Aladdin made a beeline once again towards the hourglass as the sands covered the Sultan entirely and crept up to Jasmine's neck.

"Perhaps a touch of darkness is what this battle needs," Hook said as purple and black smoke began to swirl around him.

With a swing of his cutlass, Hook unleashed a wave of darkness towards Aladdin. The blast slammed into Aladdin, knocking him to the ground and sending the scimitar sliding across the polished floor. In a flash of red light, Jafar manifested over Aladdin.

"Did you really think you could defeat the most powerful being in the universe?" Jafar asked. "Now, I shall finish you one piece at a time!"

The first blast of magic dislocated Aladdin's right shoulder. The second blast twisted his left ankle. The third cracked his ribs. The pain shooting through his body was excruciating, but Aladdin knew he had to force himself to endure for the sake of Jasmine and the Sultan. Jafar raised his staff high above his head and cackled maniacally as he prepared to unleash another blast. The sound of flapping wings drew Aladdin's attention away from the pain. He looked up to see a bright red and blue blur flying his way. Iago swooped down and pulled Jafar's turban down over his eyes, giving Aladdin just the opening he needed to trip Jafar down to the floor, grab the scimitar, and make his way towards the rapidly filling hourglass.

"That's for everything, Jafar!" Iago called out. "And so the brave parrot saves Agrabah again. What would any of you do without-"

But a blast of darkness interrupted the parrot's boast, knocking him out of the sky and sending him tumbling to the floor. Hook walked up to Iago and raised a single eyebrow as he looked the creature over.

"You were the one who formerly held my position of esteem with Jafar?" Hook asked with a scoff. "He truly traded up."

With a single stomp of Hook's boot, it was all over for Iago. Aladdin winced in despair at the sight, but he knew he couldn't do anything to help his brave parrot friend now. Fighting back the sting of tears, Aladdin made his way to the hourglass. The sands had completely engulfed Jasmine at this point. Aladdin prayed that she was still alright as he shattered the glass with his scimitar. Sand spilled out onto the polished floor, as did Jasmine's body. Aladdin scrambled to feel her pulse, but there was none. She was gone too.

There was no reason left to hold back tears. Aladdin cradled his beloved in his arms and laid his head on her chest as he sobbed. He cried for Jasmine, for Iago, for the Sultan, and for himself. He hadn't been strong enough on his own, and the guilt stung his chest harder than any spell Jafar had unleashed.

"My, my, such deep sorrow," Jafar said as he stood over Aladdin.

"YOU!" Aladdin yelled through tears as he leapt to his feet. "YOU ROTTEN BASTARD!"

Aladdin attempted to punch Jafar, but the evil sorcerer simply grabbed Aladdin's wrist and tossed him back to the ground. Aladdin collapsed, unable to summon the will to keep fighting.

"Just... get it over with," Aladdin said, his voice dripping with exhaustion and despair. "I know it's what you really want."

"What? Kill you?" Jafar asked with a chuckle. "Oh no, Aladdin. You're not going to die today. You're not going to die for a very long time. You see, I want you to live with the despair that I won! That you're all alone in this universe. That I killed your dear friends and your beloved princess."

Aladdin closed his eyes and let out a sigh of anguish.

"For whatever it's worth," Hook said as he approached, "I do understand your pain. It's one that I know well. But perhaps you should have thought of that before you made an enemy of Jafar."

Jafar snapped his fingers, summoning up several bandit Heartless.

"Take him back to the Eminence Palace," Jafar ordered. "With Pan dead, we have a vacant room to fill. Oh, and take _her_ with you."

Jafar gestured towards Jasmine's corpse.

"I want him to watch as that beautiful face rots and collapses," Jafar said with a devilish grin. "If he tries to starve himself, force food down his throat. I don't want him to miss a single moment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning is for multiple character deaths.


	4. Negative Outlook

The skies above Agrabah were blood red, and the once bright and glittering palace had taken on a darker and more ominous permutation with cobra motifs and everything a deep shade of red. A large bonfire raged on in front of the palace gates. The new Sultan of Agrabah, Jafar, strutted up to the fire with an air of sinister purpose as he carried a large bundle in his arms. With a disinterested toss, Jafar threw the tiger pelt he'd been carrying onto the fire. The evil sorcerer grinned wickedly as Rajah's skin, the last remnant of his enemies' meddlesome rule, was consumed by flames.

"So you've obtained your heart's desire," Maleficent said as she casually joined her ally.

"It is _long_ overdue," Jafar said with a nod.

"If I recall correctly, you ruled as sultan when last I was here," Maleficent said. "Yet that was ultimately an all too temporary state."

Jafar scowled. "What, pray tell, is your point?"

"Leaving Aladdin alive is a mistake," Maleficent replied. "We already have the King and Hercules to contend with. Another hero, even one locked within our dungeons, is a threat."

"I'll worry about Aladdin; you just focus on the goals of our forces," Jafar said dismissively.

"Very well, but if he ever interferes in our plans, you will be held accountable," Maleficent warned.

"Are you simply here to threaten me and spoil my good mood?" Jafar asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"No," Maleficent said with a shake of her head. "In truth, I came to congratulate you. In spite of my reservations, I truly am most pleased that your wish has come true. We've known one another for quite some time, and you were quite right with what you said before: your victory was long overdue."

"Loathed though I am to share the credit, it would never have come to pass without you," Jafar admitted. "You brought together the Overtakers, and it was through our combined might that I was able to finally take what's mine. I long ago dismissed the mere thought of anyone having value as anything more than a tool, but you always saw quite clearly the potential in collaboration."

"And now the Overtakers' influence extends to ruling over four different worlds," Maleficent declared. "Our empire is larger now than Xehanort could have ever dreamed. And, if I may add, thanks to you, one of the Seven Princesses of Heart has met her demise."

"Forever young," added Jafar with a chuckle.

* * *

Traverse Town was under King Mickey's protection, which made it risky for any Overtaker to set foot within the overpopulated town. Yet Fish Mooney and Ursula (under her Vanessa guise) did exactly that as they strolled down the alleyway together, dressed in more subdued ensembles than either were used to wearing.

"An entire world of hovels," Ursula said with a scoff. "I'm almost inclined to let them keep it."

"Really? You want to let our enemies keep territory?" Fish asked in surprise.

"I said _almost_ ," Ursula clarified with a smirk.

"Well our old strategy won't work here," Fish said. "Most of the population of this town is refugees from Radiant Garden, and they're all wise to our tricks by now."

"You say that like I don't have other tricks up my tentacles," Ursula replied. "True, we can't just use Steve to win a war of public opinion this time, but you'd be surprised how careless people are with their souls when their hearts' desires are on the table."

"And every town has a criminal underbelly," Fish added. "It's just a matter of looking beneath the surface."

"Or directly above," Ursula remarked as she pointed towards a balcony on the second floor of the hotel.

When Fish saw what Ursula was referring to, she let out an audible gasp. A man in a black cloak like the ones worn by the Organization was lurking outside one of the hotel rooms. The hood obstructed his face entirely.

"Organization XIII?" Fish Mooney asked. "I thought we got rid of them all."

"Apparently we missed one," Ursula said as she summoned her trident to her hand.

The trident crackled with energy, and Ursula fired a bolt at the lone Organization member. The blast struck the hooded man directly in the chest and knocked him off of the balcony with a high pitched yelp. The man tumbled down the roof and landed with a painful thud on the cobblestone below. As he struggled to sit up, he quickly found himself pushed back to the ground beneath Fish's booted heel.

"Dealing with Xehanort's rogue flunkies is becoming a bore," Fish said as she aimed her pistol at the hooded man's head. "Maybe this'll be the last one to snuff out."

"Fish! Wait! It's me!" the man said in a voice that caused Fish's blood to run cold.

Fish removed her foot, and the hooded man sat up and removed his hood. Fish's eyes widened as if she'd seen a ghost. Demyx gave a coy little wave and an awkward grin.

"What? You?" Ursula asked as she approached.

"Nice to see you guys too," Demyx said as he rose to his feet and dusted off his coat.

"How are you still alive?" Fish asked, still obviously in shock. "Are you one of Ansem's tricks?"

"Nope, it's me alright," Demyx replied. "Once Sora destroyed Ansem, my body was set free, and I was able to be recompleted at long last."

"And you didn't think to come back to let me know you were alive?" Fish asked through gritted teeth. "You thought it'd be better to just stalk around outside of random hotel rooms?"

"Huh? Oh! Right, yeah, we should probably get gone like now," Demyx said.

"Why?" Fish asked suspiciously with a squint of her eyes.

"Explanations later," Demyx insisted. "Unless you wanna get caught and killed by these freaks."

The door to the hotel room opened up, and a figure started to step out to investigate the alleyway. Unwilling to take the chance that Demyx was only overreacting, Ursula swept the three of them up into a Corridor of Darkness. When the darkness cleared, the trio of villains was standing on the green and mossy stones of the secret waterway outside of the alley. Once Demyx saw that they were safe in a new location, he let out a sigh of relief.

"My favorite strategy: when in doubt, run run away," Demyx said. "I'm glad to see you two are finally taking that mantra to heart... Er, no pun intended."

"Demyx," Fish said in a firm voice punctuated by an intense glare. "Explanation. Now."

Demyx sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was looking into a group called the Inner Demons. A small group of them were staying in that hotel room I was checking out. They're... freaky, okay. I'm not even sure if they're even people. Could be anything under those demon masks."

"Freaky how?" Ursula asked.

"They can use darkness and light side by side in a way I haven't even seen before," Demyx explained. "The way they empower their weapons and the physical stamina they get... It's crazy! And they can somehow use it to take over people's minds too... or at least their leader can. I don't really know. Point is: they're freaky, and they're popping up in a few different worlds."

"Do you know who's running their show?" Ursula asked.

"No," Demyx answered. "That's what I was sent to try to figure out."

" _Sent?_ " Fish asked, not missing a beat. "By _whom?_ "

Demyx laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "One of Xemnas's old contacts. A multi-world business man who the Organization would do odd jobs for when we were strapped for cash... Look, I needed some munny, and he needed to find out who was behind the hits on his suppliers. Win-win."

"No, _not_ win-win," Fish corrected. "After everything we went through, you deserted the Overtakers and tried to swindle some chump change to buy your way into disappearing off our radar, didn't you?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it exactly like that," Demyx said.

"Really? How would you put it?" Fish asked as she crossed her arms.

"Uhh... I mean, I guess it _was_ exactly like that," Demyx admitted. "I just wouldn't _say_ it."

"He'd make a lovely addition to my garden of polyps," Ursula told Fish. "Just say the word, Angelfish."

"No," Fish shook her head, causing Demyx to sigh with relief. "If he has no appreciation for the way I took him under my wing and treated him like a son, then he can just exit my life the way he apparently wanted to. We have better things to worry about."

Hearing Fish phrase it that way stung Demyx and caused him to curse having a heart once again. Life was so much easier when he couldn't feel anything. Fish and Ursula turned their backs on Demyx and prepared to open a Corridor of Darkness back to the castle.

"Hey, wait a sec," Demyx said, though he wasn't sure exactly why he'd said it. "I mean, I wanted you to know that-"

"There they are!" shouted a deep voice.

Sloshing through the waters towards the trio was a group of men dressed in business suits and black and white demonic masks. All of them appeared to be brandishing heavy weaponry.

"Wuh-oh!" Demyx said as he vanished into a Corridor of Darkness.

"Coward," Ursula grumbled as she drew her trident. "We can handle these pests without him."

Ursula attempted to fire a blast of lightning at the Inner Demons, but before she could charge her trident, a blast of dark energy struck the sea-witch, knocking her off balance and causing the trident to tumble out of her hands. Fish immediately rushed to her girlfriend's aid and helped Ursula to her feet. The Inner Demons began to open fire upon the two women. Fish pulled Ursula behind a rock formation and attempted to return fire. However, every time she attempted to peak out to shoot at the Inner Demons, one of them would fire first, causing her to duck back down.

Fish's heart was racing, and she could hear the Inner Demons approaching to get around the rock formation. If they did that, they'd have no choice but to face them head on. Ursula was still disoriented by that first blast of energy, and the two women were outnumbered by at least six. Loathed though she was to admit it, now was the time for a tactical retreat. Fish began to summon up the will to generate a Corridor of Darkness, but a new sound from the other side of the rock formation gave her pause.

"DANCE, WATER, DANCE!" Demyx's voice shouted as he strummed a few chords on his sitar.

The waterway running through the caverns began to bend to Demyx's will, and when Fish peaked out from behind the rocks, she saw a massive tidal wave sweep up the Inner Demons and carry them down deeper into the catacombs.

"He came back for me," Fish said in disbelief.

"Not sure how long that'll hold 'em off," Demyx called out as he ran to rejoin Fish and Ursula, "so we should probably head back to the Eminence Palace right about now."

" _We?_ " Fish asked as she cocked her eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, maybe I kinda sorta miss being an Overtaker and having a mom looking out for me," Demyx admitted.

Fish grinned. "So you _do_ care after all."

Demyx shook his head. "Can we just go already? I think I can hear the Demons coming back."

Fish snapped her fingers, and the Corridor of Darkness carried Fish, Ursula, and Demyx away from Traverse Town. There would be hurdles in the future for certain, but Fish was confident that the pieces were ready to be picked up.

* * *

"My Goblin made it to the finals," Russell said with a taunting smirk as he gave Hades a nudge. "One more fight, and he'll be on our team. Not to mention, I'll have all the gold you've bet on this tourney."

"Oy vey, c'mon, Russell, babe, he's done good, I'll give ya that," Hades replied. "Got a lot farther than I thought. But THIS is the championship match that decides the winner of the Overtaker Cup. Your Goblin won some tough matches, but, trust me, I've seen how these things go. Tai Lung's got the stamina and the stats to take home the crown. And _he_ doesn't have to rely on tricks."

"We'll just see about that," Russell said with a shrug.

Loki and Doom remained silent but sat eagerly in anticipation for the battle about to take place. The Green Goblin entered the arena at the same time as Tai Lung, a muscular anthropomorphic snow leopard.

"I might not have become the Dragon Warrior," Tai Lung said, "but I will _certainly_ be the Overtaker Cup Champion. The victory is mine by right."

The Goblin laughed. "In my experience, _might_ makes right. And from what I've seen, you're nothing more than a hunk of muscle amongst the teeming masses. Your only purpose is to lift the few exceptional people onto your shoulders. You're just a stepping stone for _my_ ascension. Nothing more."

Tai Lung growled at that. "You can't speak to me like that! I _am_ worthy! I don't care what you or Oogway say! I AM-"

The Goblin didn't wait for Tai Lung to finish before ramming into the snow leopard's stomach, knocking Tai Lung back. Tai Lung, however, was not so inexperienced as to be thrown off by such an attack. The snow leopard adjusted himself in the air and did a backflip upon reaching the ground to right himself. Right-side up again, Tai Lung charged. The Goblin attempted to dance out of the way, but Tai Lung managed to grab ahold of one of the Goblin's leg. He hurled his opponent into the far wall.

The Green Goblin hit the wall, dislodging a few rocks that fell and crushed several of the skeletons in the theatron. As he began to fall, the Goblin dug a razor bat into the wall to slow his descent. Regaining some semblance of control, Goblin pushed off of the wall and jumped back into the arena. Tai Lung was coming his way, prepared for another attack. However, the leopard was just far enough away to put the Goblin in the perfect position to throw a pumpkin bomb. The device detonated, and the blast hurled Tai Lung back into the theatron, shattering several skeletal onlookers in the process.

"Good thing my customers are already dead, geez louise," Hades remarked.

"Hey, if you can't take the pressure, stay out of the Underdrome," Russell said with a laugh.

The Green Goblin hopped onto his glider and began to fly towards where Tai Lung had crash landed.

"Here kitty-kitty," the Goblin called out with a cackle.

Tai Lung, however, was ready for him. The snow leopard jumped up and delivered a punch that shattered the glider's navigation system. The glider sputtered and sparked and began to flail about wildly off course until it crashed into the center of the arena, sending the Green Goblin spilling out onto the floor. Tai Lung then pounced and pinned the Goblin down to the ground.

"You will fall!" Tai Lung threatened. "No more tricks!"

"What a shame! Because I've got one more up my sleeve!" the Goblin announced.

The Goblin grabbed onto Tai Lung's wrist and activated his gloves' electrical discharge, sending thousands of volts of electricity coursing through Tai Lung's body. The leopard roared out in pain and staggered backwards, giving the Goblin an opening to scramble to his feet. The Goblin activated a miniature pumpkin bomb and swiftly shoved the bomb into Tai Lung's open mouth and down his throat. The Goblin jumped back as the snow leopard scratched at his neck and tried to cough the bomb back up. However, Tai Lung failed to remove the explosive in time.

There was a bang and a terrible squelching noise as blood began to rain over the battle field. The Green Goblin cackled with glee and danced around as his emerald armor became coated in red. Russell jumped up from his seat and applauded.

"FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!" Russell called out with a laugh.

Hades grumbled under his breath but also began to applaud. "All hail the winner of the Overtaker Cup. Badda boom. There."

"And what of your promise?" Loki asked, egging Hades on.

"Fine, fine, fine," Hades groaned. "Green Goblin, babe, as the Champion of the Overtaker Cup, you are hereby awarded a return from the dead and a place on the Overtakers if you want it."

The Goblin seemed to contemplate the offer for a moment before answering. "Well how can I refuse?"

Russell laughed and began to applaud once again. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Doom and Loki shared a glance. Though no words were exchanged, both understood the meaning perfectly: they had a new asset to exploit and everything had gone according to plan.

* * *

"Welcome to the Eminence Palace," Russell said dramatically as he outstretched his arms to gesture at the grandiose foyer. "This is the place where all the magic happens. Where we rule over our kingdoms with an iron fist!"

"Homey! I like it!" the Goblin said with a cackle. "Needs a little bit more green, though."

"Green with the purple?" Loki asked with a scoff. "What a hideous color combination. Of course, you _would_ like that one. You seem to in every universe."

"You are aware that Maleficent favors purple in clothing whilst having a green complexion," Doom pointed out.

"You say that as if that doesn't prove my point," Loki replied.

"Now, Goblin, I want you to meet my better half, Steve Newlin," Russell said as he ushered the Goblin further into the castle. "Ah! Here he is now!"

Russell grinned when he saw Steve, but his grin morphed into a look of confusion once he noticed who was walking with Steve. Loki and Doom glared at Steve's companion with distrust and disdain.

"Steve, darlin', what is _Demyx_ doin' here?" Russell asked.

Demyx gave a half-wave at his former teammates. "Hey guys! Fish and Ursula invited me back! I'm officially back in the Overtakers! Pretty cool, huh?"

"Cool doesn't even... _begin_ to describe it," Steve said through an obviously forced smile. "I just love how between you and Daken, you were the one we got back. Love, love, love!"

"I'm picking up on some tension in this room," the Goblin remarked.

"Newlin, perhaps you should accompany Russell and the Goblin on their tour," Loki suggested. "I have matters to discuss with our newly reinstated ally."

Steve mouthed "thank you" in Loki's direction and joined Russell and the Goblin as they proceeded into the Crooked Ascension. Doom and Loki remained behind with Demyx; a tense silence that could practically be cut with a knife hung over the three.

"Well, would ya look at the time," Demyx said as he checked his wrist for the watch that wasn't there. "Great catching up with you guys! But I really gotta be-"

"Stay," Doom ordered in a voice that boomed with authority and power in such a way that Demyx couldn't dare defy.

Demyx was frozen in place, unable to will his feet to move, and Loki was circling around him like a cat circling its prey.

"Can you cut that out?" Demyx asked. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Ansem used your body to return once before," Loki remarked. "As the mortals say: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I do not intend to be deceived a second time."

"It's me this time!" Demyx insisted. "I'm not Ansem! I swear!"

"You speak as though your word has any meaning," Doom said with a scoff.

Demyx groaned. "How can I convince you that I'm not-"

Suddenly Demyx was floating above his own body as it collapsed to the floor. Demyx began to scream but he made no sound. Loki studied him intently, but he quickly reversed his spell. Demyx gasped for air as he re-entered his body and jumped to his feet.

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" Demyx asked.

"A little spell to temporarily remove your astral spirit from your body," Loki explained. "I would have been able to see if your spirit took the form of Ansem. It appears you are, for better or worse, truly Demyx. Whether you should be accepted back into our ranks, however, is another matter."

Demyx sighed. "Okay, I'll bite. What can I do to prove to you guys that I deserve to be here?"

"Welllll....," Loki said as he tapped his chin in contemplation.

Just then, a bleeding Prince Hans stumbled into the foyer, clutching his arm and holding a broken sword in his hand.

"What. Happened?" Doom growled in exasperation.

"Rapunzel's been taken," Hans said after spitting out a glob of blood that had collected in his mouth.

"You had _one_ simple task!" Loki hissed.

"It wasn't my fault!" Hans argued. "The entire dungeon was swarmed by creatures of darkness... Flying apes that looked like Heartless only _much_ worse!"

"Grimm," Doom and Loki said in unison.

They remembered all too well the Winged Beringels they'd encountered in Remnant during the quest to find the Fist of Might. Those beasts had given even a team of six Overtakers difficulty. If they were indeed the same creatures, Hans never would have stood a chance, and both Doom and Loki knew it.

"Cinder Fall's master, perhaps?" Doom suggested.

"Aye, perhaps," Loki nodded. "But what is her interest in Rapunzel? And why the sudden fascination with other worlds?"

"Questions to investigate when we reclaim the princess," Doom said.

"Good luck with that!" Demyx said with a thumbs up.

"May fortune favor you both!" Hans added.

"Perhaps you misunderstand," Loki said with a smirk. "You two will be accompanying us, and if you prove to be as useless as I fear you both to be, you _will_ be left behind to die."

Hans and Demyx both gulped hard, but neither protested. They knew quite well that there would be no arguing with Loki. His word was final.

"Now then, a return to Remnant?" Loki asked. "Wherever should we begin?"

"Last time we were on that world, I hacked into Mistral's scanners," Doom explained. "Interestingly enough, the code had been hacked shortly before we'd arrived as a part of an operation to destroy Haven Academy. The digital signature left behind was a most _fascinating_ discovery likely created by a genius second only to Doom."

"A technological wizard with an appetite for mayhem and destruction?" Loki asked. "How intriguing! Perhaps he'd be worth investigating."

Doom nodded. "I look forward to meeting Doctor Arthur Watts in person."

* * *

Flintheart Glomgold, Scrooge McDuck's most persistent business rival, sat behind his desk, reviewing the profit margin from the last fiscal quarter. His businesses were doing well, but they were still second to McDuck Industries, a fact that Glomgold loathed. The door to his office crept open. Glomgold didn't look up. He was expecting someone, after all.

"Ah, Demyx, did ye find out wha' those Demons folk were doin'?" Glomgold asked, his thick Scottish accent dripping off every word.

The wealthy duck then looked up. He squawked in terror when he saw that it wasn't Demyx who'd entered his office, but, rather, two masked Inner Demons flanking a man who looked like an image of a man rendered in photonegative. This man had pitch black skin and stark white hair, clothes, and eyes.

"You! Ye'r th' folk wha' goosed my business!" Glomgold shouted angrily.

"And you're the man who put the Overtakers onto my operation," the photonegative man replied with a calm severity.

"Overtakers? Wha' are ye goin' on about?" Glomgold asked.

"You hired the renegade Organization member to spy on me, and he alerted Maleficent's flunkies," the man explained. "My time table has been thrown into chaos as a result."

"I dinnae care about yer operation!" Glomgold snapped. "Now return what ye stole from me!"

The man pulled out a gun and pointed it in Glomgold's face.

"Ahhh... perhaps we could, ah, talk this over?" Glomgold said, his entire tone shifting. "I 'ave lots and lots o' gold! I can-"

_BANG._

"Dispose of the body," the man ordered his henchmen. "And make sure you destroy all security footage and evidence we were here. I don't want any further delays."

The two Inner Demons nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Negative."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Negative and the Inner Demons are from Marvel comics. 
> 
> Tai Lung is from Kung-Fu Panda.
> 
> Flintheart Glomgold is from DuckTales.


	5. You Say I've Got an Evil Mind

Hidden beneath the darkness of the night, nine Overtakers gathered in the streets of Olliewood. Maleficent looked over her eight companions. They would do nicely. Hades and Pete stood closest to her, eager to hear Maleficent's instructions. Grimhilde and Cruella hung off to the side with Grimhilde trying to obstruct the view of her haggard face as much as she could. Jafar was looking disinterested in having been pulled away from Agrabah, but Hook had his arm around his boyfriend, giving the sorcerer some sense of comfort. Trakeena and Kieran, on the other hand, both just looked happy to be included and excited for the mission at hand.

"You all know the plan," Maleficent began. "Investigate the connected worlds and search carefully for the source of the connection. Take control of the power by any means necessary. Keep an eye out for those we can use for our purposes. Now then, Hades, if you will."

"There's three worlds connected to this one, and there's three portals per world leading to different spots," Hades explained as he pulled out a large iron key with a skull-shaped handle. "These babies here are my skeleton keys I had forged using Bolt Boy's intel on the Keyblades. They'll be your ticket through the portals. Each team's got one. One with me, one with Malef, and one with Grimmie. These things don't come cheap so ya break it, ya buy it."

"We understand," Jafar said with a sigh. "Now, if you're done over-expositing, perhaps we can begin our endeavors."

"Agreed," Grimhilde added.

"Very well then," Maleficent nodded. "May the darkness find its way!"

"May the darkness find its way," the others echoed before breaking off into their small groups. Cruella and Grimhilde went off on their own towards the portal to the Deep Jungle Tree House by the local cannery.

"I don't know about you, darling, but I'm thrilled that Mal let us be just a team of two," Cruella remarked as they walked. "Not that I don't enjoy our friends, but we work _so_ much better when it's just the two of us."

"That we do," Grimhilde agreed. "If only my face weren't so-"

"Oh no you don't," Cruella interrupted. "We're not going to waste our time together sulking. There'll be other times when you're young and beautiful. I can still enjoy your sinister mind either way... assuming you don't contract Alzheimer's in this form."

Grimhilde snarled. "Very funny."

Grimhilde produced the skeleton key from the folds of her cloak and activated the portal. She gestured to the portal, and Cruella took her hand as they proceeded through.

* * *

Cinder Fall stood on the roof of a skyscraper in Atlas, the flying marvel of a city that hovered above its earthly counterpart, Mantle. From this vantage point, the Fall maiden had a clear view of Atlas Academy, the location of her most recent failure to obtain the powers of the Winter Maiden. Rage burned inside her heart, and the hunger for power that gnawed at her very being was practically ravenous.

The sound of footsteps approaching from behind alerted her to the fact that her associate had returned. Cinder grinned wickedly when she saw Neo bowing and proudly holding out the Relic of Knowledge, a gold and sapphire ornate lantern. Cinder greedily snatched it out of Neo's hands and began walking away, never noticing the look of discontent on Neo's face. Cinder didn't care. The Relic was Cinder's key to regaining her standing with Salem. That was all that mattered.

Cinder stopped short when a Corridor of Darkness opened directly in her path. Cinder at first feared that Raven Branwen had arrived to finish what they'd started, but she relaxed slightly when Doom, Loki, Hans, and Demyx emerged.

"Oh, it's you two... and some new friends I see," Cinder said. "What happened to the other five? No, wait, I can guess. I _did_ warn you that Salem and her Grimm were not a force to trifle with."

"You misunderstand," Loki said with a scoff. "Our other associates are alive and well, and we did, in fact, find the item we were looking for."

Cinder's brow furrowed. "Then what are you doing here?"

"Salem retaliated against our forces," Doom answered. "She stole a powerful prisoner from our dungeon, and we would have her back."

"And, let me guess, you want to recruit my help for your cause?" Cinder replied. "Well look elsewhere. I have little interest in getting in between yours and Salem's little spat, especially with her on her way here now."

"Then be sure to stay out of our way," Loki warned. "We have other prospects to pursue."

"Oh I wouldn't _dream_ of interfering," Cinder said with a smirk. "You two and Salem with Ironwood and all of Atlas in between? This should prove to be a _very_ entertaining show."

"'You two'?" Demyx whispered to Hans. "And what are we? Back up dancers?"

"Unfortunately that's probably not far from the truth in their eyes," Hans whispered back. "We might as well be invisible."

"Story of my life," Demyx groaned.

"Same here," Hans said with a nod. "Actually, three of my brothers literally pretended that I _was_ invisible... for two years! Not that the other nine were ever any better."

"You had thirteen brothers?" Demyx asked, miscounting the numbers.

"Twelve," Hans corrected. " _I_ was unlucky number thirteen."

"I was number nine," Demyx added. "Not with brothers. With Organization XIII. Though it _felt_ like I was just number thirteen with how they treated me."

"They didn't deserve us," Hans said definitively.

"I'll drink to that... or I would if I had a drink," Demyx remarked.

"Are you two quite through?" Loki asked with a groan. "As fascinating as your miserable lives are, we have a doctor to recruit and a princess to find."

"Apologies, your majesty," Hans said with a quick bow.

"Yeah, what he said," Demyx chimed in.

Loki rolled his eyes and turned around with a flounce of his cape. Hans and Demyx were silent for a moment until Demyx broke the silence.

"Do they always have to do that cape thing?" he asked. "Loki, Doom, Jafar, the Queen... it's like they have a compulsion or something."

Hans smiled. "They'd actually probably trip if they _didn't_ do that. Can you imagine those blowhards stumbling to the ground?"

The two broke out into giggles at the mental image of the usually graceful upper echelon tripping over their own capes like common clowns.

"WILL YOU TWO COME ALONG ALREADY?" Loki shouted angrily, silencing the giggles.

* * *

The Goblin had left his goblin armor in his room and opted for a green silk shirt and plain black pants as he explored his new setting. The Eminence Palace was far from the type of environment that the Goblin was used to. It reminded him of a theme park castle more than anything. Yet as he proceeded into the lower levels, he began to find himself in a more familiar environment: a laboratory with modern and updated R&D centers.

"Guess this place really is fun for the whole family," the Goblin said with a chuckle. "So many wonderful toys!"

"Toys that do not belong to you," a deep mechanical voice warned.

Alistair Smythe glared at the Goblin with hatred. The fins atop his shoulders twitched in preparation for firing upon the Goblin.

"I didn't touch anything," the Goblin argued. "You don't have to look at me as though I killed your dog."

"My father, actually," Smythe growled. "You think a new hairstyle would hide your identity, Osborn?"

"There is _no_ Osborn anymore!" the Goblin snapped. "There is only the Green Goblin! And, at any rate, if Osborn killed your father, he sure as Hell doesn't remember it. Must not have been very noteworthy."

"My father was Spencer Smythe!" Smythe shouted angrily. "Does _that_ jog your memory?"

"Not in the slightest," the Goblin said dismissively.

Smythe clenched his teeth and prepared to attack the Goblin. However, Smythe was stopped by the arrival of another.

"Cease this mindlessness, Smythe!" Kingpin bellowed as he entered the room. "Is it not obvious that this Osborn is not the one from our dimension?"

"You say that as if any Osborn would not earn my wrath," Smythe replied.

"If your father was anything like you, boy, then I hope Osborn made his death excruciatingly long," the Goblin taunted.

"YOU MANIAC!" Smythe shouted as he lunged forward.

Kingpin grabbed onto Smythe and held him back with all his strength.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Kingpin shouted. "You already had the chance to destroy your father's _real_ murderer! Do not assure your own destruction by crossing a proxy!"

Smythe huffed but ultimately realized that the Kingpin was correct. He calmed himself down enough to where Kingpin was able to let go without worrying about his associate doing something foolish.

"Stay away from me, and I will steer clear of you," Smythe said to the Goblin after a moment.

"And here I thought we could be friends," the Goblin said with a cackle as he took his leave of the laboratory.

Once he was out of sight, Smythe turned to face Kingpin.

"How could they recruit a maniac like that?" Smythe asked angrily.

"You speak as though our team was ever devoid of maniacs," Kingpin answered. "We have always been unopposed as the sane and rational members."

"But someone like _Osborn?_ " Smythe asked. "With Daken gone and Newlin no longer in need of our service, I fear for our continued relevancy in this new regime of madness."

"The services of the Kingpin are _always_ needed," he argued. "Leave such concerns to me. After all, I pride myself on being an excellent judge of character."

"Only if you discount your entire history," Smythe grumbled under his breath.

* * *

Cruella and Grimhilde stood on a ledge behind the waterfalls, the rushing water making it difficult to hear anything else. Grimhilde scowled at her surroundings. Soaking wet rock formations that were precariously high hadn't exactly been kind to her in the past, and she was eager to move on from this location.

"I've never understood why anyone considers this sort of thing scenic," Cruella remarked. "After all, it's only the back of water. Hardly exciting or glamorous."

"Simple minds are entranced by the mundane," Grimhilde said. "Best not to concern ourselves with such matters."

"Why are we here?" Cruella asked. "Shouldn't we be tracking down that Tarzan fellow and ripping out his heart to see how it beats?"

"Patience my dear," Grimhilde said. "All in good time. These caverns hold a very precious secret that could be the key to our goal."

Grimhilde turned and hobbled into a dark cave opposite the waterfall. Cruella followed her into the pitch black, but after a moment, the cavern opened up into an area covered by a brilliant canopy that allowed for only a few streaks of light to pass through. Bioluminescent blue butterflies gathered on the trunk of the large tree in the middle of the cavern.

"What is this place?" Cruella asked. "There's a strange sort of power here. I can feel it in my..."

Cruella didn't finish her sentence, but her hand drifted to her chest to feel her heart beat. The thumping of her heart kept in time with the rumble of the waterfalls that echoed even here.

"This is the heart of this world," Grimhilde explained. "Sora sealed the Keyhole long ago, preventing us from corrupting it with darkness, yet the heart remains the source of life and vitality in this world."

"So if there's a connection between this world and Olliewood, this is where we'd find it," Cruella finished. "Alright, you have my attention. How do we go about learning the heart's secrets?"

"I have a spell to tap into the heart," Grimhilde explained as she rested a gnarled hand against the tree bark. "However, to complete the spell, I'll need a heart filled to the brim with negative emotions."

"Between the two of us, how hard could that be?" Cruella asked with a smirk.

Grimhilde, however, simply shook her head. "No. We've black hearts, to be sure, but this will require a much more volatile blackness. The spell calls for a heart in turmoil, one filled with hatred, rage, and despair!"

Grimhilde produced a handheld mirror from the folds of her robes and held it aloft so that Cruella could see it.

"Magic mirror in my hand, show me a heart we can use for this plan!" Grimhilde beckoned.

The image that took shape in the mirror was a woman dressed in a safari outfit looming over a loin cloth wearing man who seemed to be hunched over in pain.

"Now, you can either save yourself or save your family," the woman taunted. "It's very doubtful you could do both. So you see, you have a choice: suffer the way I did or suffer the way my brother did! Hmph, I think it's quite fair, really."

The image faded, and Cruella and Grimhilde shared a knowing look.

"A heart filled with vengeance is about as in turmoil as one can get," Cruella said, thinking back to the version of Maleficent she'd known back in the Enchanted Forest. "Oh darling, this is _delicious!_ "

"She'll make a fine specimen for my spell," Grimhilde declared with a fiendish cackle.

As the two villainesses reveled in their discovery, a baby baboon known as Manu hopped over to the two strange women to investigate. Cruella cocked an eyebrow upon noticing that the baboon was holding a drawing of itself in one hand.

"Ugh, wonderful, a monkey," Cruella said with a sneer.

The baboon sniffed at Grimhilde's cloak before accidentally inhaling some dust clinging to the old fabric. Manu let out a little sneeze that most animal lovers would have found endearing. Cruella and Grimhilde, however, were not animal lovers.

"Oh how adorable; it's diseased," Cruella remarked sarcastically.

"I've had enough of this pest," Grimhilde added.

A bolt of lightning shot from Grimhilde's fingers and struck the baby baboon down where it stood. Grimhilde studied the dead creature with mild interest.

"You might be able to get a single glove out of the miserable beast," Grimhilde suggested.

"With that scraggly fur? I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it!" Cruella replied.

The sound of furious growls and howls from the trees startled Grimhilde and Cruella. When the two of them saw the dozens of angry and fang-baring baboons glaring at them, it was clear that the baboons seemed to be saying that they intended for Cruella to be caught dead either way.

"Please tell me you can handle that," Grimhilde whispered, trying not to make any sudden movements.

Cruella grinned. "Simply child's play."

The swarm of bloodthirsty baboons lunged, and Cruella exhaled a cloud of green smoke onto the beasts. The baboons stopped in their tracks before reaching the two women, and their red eyes turned a brilliant green as they awaited Cruella's command.

"Never have been one for monkey business," Cruella quipped.

* * *

Arthur Watts sat alone in his cell with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. He'd been thoroughly bested by General Ironwood. That part stung his pride more than anything. In truth, Watts's defeat was inconsequential. He'd served his purpose in setting the stage for Salem's arrival in Atlas. It was still considered a victory in his master's eyes. All the same, he didn't relish feeling as though he was just as much of a failure as Cinder, and he especially didn't relish a humiliating defeat at the hands of Ironwood of all people given their... complicated history. Once again, Ironwood was using Watts as a stepping stone. The only comfort that Watts could bring himself was the knowledge that the stepping stone was a step towards total destruction.

Salem would almost certainly make good on her promise to set him free, and with the dark clouds looming in the distance, Watts estimated that it would only be a matter of hours until she'd come for him. When Watts heard a commotion coming from outside of his cell door, he immediately jumped to his feet. It was still too early for Salem's forces to retrieve him, which meant that whoever was causing such a racket was not one of his allies.

As the door to Watts's cell blew off its hinges, the decapitated body of an Atlesian Knight android was flung into the cell with a clang, prompting Watts to back himself up against the wall.

"Such primitive technology," Doom said with a scoff as he entered the room, the robotic knight's head in his hand.

To punctuate his meaning, Doom closed his fist, crunching the android's head into scrap metal. Watts gulped as he considered the sturdiness of the android's head and the force necessary to destroy it so thoroughly.

"And whom do I have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of?" Watts asked, keeping as level of a demeanor as possible.

"I am Doctor Victor von Doom," he announced as the others began to file into the cell. "This is Loki, the God of Mischief, and our associates Prince Hans and Demyx. We represent an organization of inter-world conquerors known as the Overtakers."

"I see that subtlety isn't in the job description," Watts remarked as he looked over Doom and Loki's extravagant ensembles. "Doctor Arthur Watts, but I'm sure you already knew that... Which begs the question of why you... Overtakers, was it? ...Are here. I trust it was not simply to insult Ironwood's toys."

"Something very precious to us was taken by the Grimm at your master's behest," Loki explained.

"We seek to reclaim what's ours," Doom added, "and from the coding I witnessed upon hacking into Mistral's database, it's clear to me that you are indeed a genius worthy of our attention."

"And trust me when I say that for _him_ to acknowledge anyone else's intelligence is high praise indeed," Loki said with a smirk.

"Wait a moment," Watts chimed in. "Perhaps I misheard you: are you asking me to betray Salem to help you four, a posse of men who I've never before met, in such a way that it will earn me the permanent ire of Salem and potentially my own demise? Why on Earth would you think that I'd ever even consider such a ludicrous suggestion?"

"Because it's not, in fact, ludicrous at all," Loki answered. "Consider, a moment."

Watts raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but Doom simply crossed his arms and smirked beneath his mask. He knew all too well that this was Loki's forte, and Doom delighted in admiring a master of words work his magic.

"You failed to accomplish the ultimate designs Salem set forth," Loki continued, glancing around the jail cell. "... Obviously. Now I'm sure you've a good case for this all to be according to some bigger plan, but how true _is_ that statement? A failure is a failure, after all."

Watts grimaced at that reminder. "I did what I needed to do."

"Of course you did," Loki said with a hint of smug disbelief creeping into his tone. "You set the stage for Salem's grand debut. And what did it cost again? Oh yes. _Your_ desires. Tell me, can you truly live with being defeated by Ironwood just so that another could finish the job?"

"If you're trying to tempt me, it won't work," Watts replied. "Salem made her point quite clear that if any of us were to put our desires above hers then she'd ensure that they'd be lost to us."

Loki grinned wickedly. "That might have been true before. But that was before the Overtakers. We can ensure you your desires without Salem's retribution. Come now. We have toppled the gods themselves. We can defeat Salem with or without you. That much is not in question. However, your aid would be greatly welcomed and richly rewarded. Aren't you tired of taking orders from a false god whom you do not even believe in? From a master whose ultimate plan is simply destruction and chaos rather than one who desires to build something with the support of your vision?"

"Salem promised me the opportunity to remake the new world with my genius at the forefront," Watts argued.

"I thought you were smarter than to believe _that_ promise," Loki replied.

"And why would I believe _your_ promise instead?" Watts asked.

"Because we'll give you what you want before asking for anything in return," Loki offered.

Watts scratched his chin in contemplation. He was being offered a golden goose, and his current prospects weren't exactly looking promising. As much as he feared Salem's retribution, the rewards of changing sides were tantalizing, and Loki _did_ have a point: Salem's goals of destruction and death weren't compatible with Watts's own desires for reverence and technologic advancement. Besides, refusing the Overtakers could prove to be particularly hazardous to his continued existence. Worst case scenario, he could beg for Salem's mercy and claim to have been recruited under duress.

"Alright, very well," Watts agreed. "You have acquired yourself the mind of a genius... provided you deliver on your promise."

"We do not make false promises," Doom assured him.

Watts grinned wickedly, causing his mustache to turn upright. "Then I look forward to showing James exactly the type of genius he scorned."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arthur Watts is from RWBY, as are all associated characters on Remnant.
> 
> Manu and the woman who Grimhilde and Cruella are after are from Tarzan and The Legend of Tarzan TV show. The identity of the woman will be fully revealed next time around, but several of you will already know who it is based on the snippet of dialogue included here.


	6. The Gauntlet of Vengeance

Lady Waltham watched through her binoculars as Tarzan swung from tree to tree. He'd already rescued the elephant and the gorilla that she'd placed in traps, and he seemed to be heading in the right direction to find Professor Porter as well. It didn't matter, though. The poison she'd infected him with would eventually ensure his own demise. That was the main plan, after all.

"Fascinating," Waltham mused to her valet, Hobson. "Even poisoned he moves quickly and efficiently. I've never seen anything like him."

"He _is_ a remarkable man," Hobson agreed.

" _Man?_ " Waltham replied as rage began to seep into her voice. "He isn't a _man_. He's a MONSTER! A SAVAGE, DEADLY MONSTER!"

"Yes ma'am," Hobson agreed stoically. "A monster."

"Quite," Waltham said, regaining her composure. "You'd do well not to forget that, Hobson. My brother did, and it cost him his life."

"A tragedy indeed," Grimhilde's raspy voice agreed as she and Cruella approached the two amidst the brush.

Waltham was obviously startled by their approach and immediately scrabbled to point her cane menacingly at the source of her surprise. However, upon seeing that the source of the noise was only two human women, Waltham relaxed her guard a bit.

"Who are you?" Waltham asked suspiciously.

"Well hello to you too, darling," Cruella quipped.

"My dear, I'm simply an old peddler woman," Grimhilde answered. "And this is my associate, Cruella De Vil. We've heard of your plight, and you have both our condolences and support."

"How could you possibly know what I'm going through?" Waltham asked. "And, more importantly, why would you ever want to help me?"

"Rumors and gossip spread even out here in the remote regions," Grimhilde answered without fully answering Waltham's question. "As for my concern, well, I've often found that those with a common enemy are natural friends."

"You've a score to settle with Tarzan as well?" Waltham asked.

"In a way, I suppose I do," Grimhilde replied, "but I refer to the boy with the Keyblade, Sora."

"You must be mistaken," Waltham said. "I know of no boy named Sora, nor has he earned my wrath."

Grimhilde shook her head. "My dear, you have not been told the full story of your brother's death. Tarzan was responsible for his murder, of that you may have no doubts, but Tarzan did not kill Clayton alone."

Grimhilde produced the handheld mirror from her cloak and offered it to Lady Waltham. Waltham cautiously took the mirror into her hand and gazed into her reflection. It took all of her will-power not to drop the mirror when it flashed with magic and an image appeared on its surface. As Waltham gazed into the looking glass, she saw a vision of Clayton fighting for his life against Tarzan and a spiky haired boy wielding a key. The boy struck Clayton across the abdomen, causing him to stagger backwards. Clayton attempted to aim his gun at Sora and Tarzan, but a gigantic lizard flickered into view behind him, crushing Clayton as it collapsed on top of him. Waltham's hand covered her mouth as she gasped.

"How... how can I be seeing this?" Waltham asked.

"There are more things in heaven and earth than you could ever know," Grimhilde answered. "Forces of magic are all around us, and my powers allow me to open a window to see the past."

"Tarzan aided in my brother's murder, but... that boy... _he_ was responsible," Waltham said. "He struck Clayton and weakened him to where he could be crushed by that... that beast."

"That little brat has given us all reasons to hate him," Cruella chimed in. "He's a dreadful meddler who thinks himself to be some great savior."

"How can I find him?" Waltham asked. " _He_ must pay as well!"

"Patience, patience, my dear," Grimhilde cooed. "Sora has been... temporarily removed from our path, though he may one day return. When that day comes, we'll need all those whom he has wronged to finally put an end to him. Until then, however, the best revenge is to destroy all that Sora has striven to create and protect."

Waltham seemed to consider this a moment, but ultimately nodded. "Very well. What would you have me do."

"For now, you only need to worry about Tarzan," Grimhilde explained. "Sora will come soon enough, but I wanted you to have our support and to be aware of the greater perspective."

"And I appreciate that," Waltham said. "Our enemies _will_ fall. Though, if you'll excuse me, Tarzan will have reached the professor by now, and I did _so_ want to see the look on his face as his father-in-law was crushed right before his eyes."

"Go on then," Grimhilde said as she noticed something rustling in the bushes behind them. "We'll be along shortly."

Lady Waltham and Hobson took their leave of the jungle grove, while Grimhilde and Cruella remained behind.

"Not to be vulgar," Cruella said. "But you're certainly blowing a lot of smoke up her-"

"Shhh," Grimhilde interrupted, turning her attention towards the brush.

A bolt of energy flashed from Grimhilde's fingertips, and an invisible Stealth Sneak Heartless became visible before collapsing to the ground.

"What a horrid beast!" Cruella shrieked.

"Like brother, like sister, it would appear," Grimhilde remarked. "The Heartless thirst for her volatile dark heart as well. We must proceed with caution to preserve the necessary ingredient for our spell."

"Well at least this is a little bit more interesting," Cruella said with a grin.

"I hardly consider complications to our plan to be interesting," Grimhilde replied with a sneer.

"Hmm? Oh, no, not that!" Cruella corrected. "I mean the coloration of this creature's scales. It would make a smashing pair of boots and matching hand bag, wouldn't you agree? Here, Grim, help me get a hold of it."

Grimhilde chuckled a bit at that. "I suppose we do have a little time to spare."

* * *

The blue rings on Arthur Watts's fingers lit up as they came online. He smiled when he saw that they were back in working order.

"Rebuilding those rings wasn't as much of a pain as I'd anticipated," Watts said. "I thank you for your assistance, Doctor Doom."

"Your technology is impressive, Arthur," Doom replied before hastily adding, "though it is still well within the capabilities of my own intellect. All the same, I commend you on your innovation."

"So what's our plan now that the doctor has his toys back?" Hans asked.

"Doom and I will accompany Watts to wreak his vengeance upon the fool who wronged him," Loki answered. "You and Demyx, however, will be trailing Cinder Fall. Use her to lead you back to Salem. Try to locate the princess. Do not engage with anyone if at all possible. Your mission is solely one of reconnaissance."

"Good to hear," Demyx chimed in as he looked up from tuning his sitar. "Recon is something I'm actually good at."

"In a _relative_ sense, I suppose I might believe that," Watts quipped, earning an irate glare from Demyx. "Now let's see..."

A holographic screen appeared in front of Watts after he tapped the censor on one of his rings. A grid map took shape, and a single red blip was visible on the radar.

"Ah, there you are," Watts said with a chuckle. "Oh Pietro, your intelligence was truly overestimated. You're on the run from Ironwood himself, and you think using that outdated cloaking technology is going to keep you hidden? How quaint."

"You found your enemy?" Doom asked as he studied the map.

"Indeed so," Watts said.

Loki cackled as he placed his arms around Doom and Watts. "Then let the fun begin!"

* * *

Ursula was straightening up her shop in the Knockturn Alley branch of Castaway Cabana when she heard the door bell ring and the sound of heavy footsteps barging into her store. Ursula glanced up from polishing a crystal decanter to see a very angry looking wizard storming over to the counter. The wizard was young, gangly, and unattractive, and Ursula remembered that his name was Jacob Kritiker from an earlier transaction.

"Your potion was a scam!" Kritiker whined as he slammed the half-empty potion down on the counter. "You told me it would make my dreams a reality, but it gave me nightmares every single waking moment!"

"A scam? Now those are some rather weighty accusations, young man," Ursula said with a smirk as she placed the decanter back on her shelf. "I told you that my potion would take you places. I never said they'd be places you actually wanted to go."

Ursula chuckled wickedly to herself at the notion.

"Besides, I'm sure that girl you're pining after would appreciate knowing that you're no longer pleasuring yourself to visions of her undressed," Ursula added with a knowing glare.

Kritiker's lower lip twitched, and he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ursula. "I demand a refund!"

Ursula glanced at the wand and scowled. "Put that stumpy little twig away, or I promise I'll make those nightmares look like a _mercy_."

Kritiker, however, did not lower his wand. "You don't intimidate me! I'm not someone you can mess with! Practically _everyone_ agrees that I'm a menace to society."

"You'll hear no arguments from me," Ursula said, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. "But, then again...."

Purple magic sparked from Ursula's fingertips, and Kritiker's wand exploded into splinters. The young wizard looked on in dismay at the ruins of his wand on the floor.

"Oh," he said sheepishly.

"How quickly the tide can change," Ursula taunted with a chuckle. "Now get out of my shop before I cast that spell again... on your _head_."

Kritiker didn't have to be told twice. He ran out of the shop as quickly as his legs could carry him. Ursula almost hated to let a twerp like that go free without any horrible mutilations, but ultimately punks like him weren't worth the effort.

Just as Kritiker ran out of the door, another man in his late twenties entered the shop. He was of average height and thin build with black hair, a stylish black beard, and glasses. It took Ursula a second glance to confirm it wasn't Hook entering her shop. He was dressed in plain black robes with a green shirt and black tie worn beneath. On his right hand, Ursula spotted a silver and green class ring that told her that he was a Slytherin that had graduated from Hogwarts, the local school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Any shop that chases away disgusting twerps like Kritiker has my attention," the man said with a smirk.

"Come for the retribution, stay for the fabulous wares, HA!" Ursula replied. "I should make that my new slogan."

"It's catchy," the man said as he started to examine the display cases.

"I suppose introductions are in order," Ursula said. "My name is Ursula the Sea Witch, proprietor of this little grotto."

"Evan Avalos, professor of transfiguration at Hogwarts," he offered.

"A professor, hmm?" Ursula asked. "And what's a respectable teacher like yourself doing in Knockturn Alley of all unsavory places?"

"I don't agree with what most wizards and witches consider unsavory," Avalos replied. "They tend to think anyone with an interest in the Dark Arts might as well be some muggle-hating Death Eater. Terribly short sighted by my estimate. The Dark Arts existed long before Voldemort, and they'll continue to exist even once Voldemort is as distant a memory as Grindelwald."

Something in one of the display cases caught Avalos's eye. He tapped on the glass with his index finger.

"Could I see this piece?" Avalos requested.

Ursula slid over to where Avalos was looking and opened the case. "You've got a good eye, big boy."

With one graceful movement of her tentacle, Ursula placed the object on the counter where Avalos could examine it. It was a two sided candle, one side with black wax and the other with white. A vine pattern was decorated along its side. Avalos grinned.

"Don't let an Auror catch you with this," he said with a smirk. "A candle with the power to trade one life for another... to cure one's own death by inflicting that death onto a target of your choice. It's a tempting power."

"You really know your stuff, don't ya?" Ursula asked with a chuckle. "Would you like it gift wrapped? It won't come cheap, but can you really turn down such a rare treasure?"

Avalos drummed his fingers on the glass counter top as he contemplated the purchase. His eyes never left the candle as he considered it.

"I'm actually here in Knockturn Alley to sell a particular piece from my collection," Avalos said. "I _had_ planned on selling it to old Borgin, but if you'll exchange it for the candle, I think we can do business."

Ursula nodded. "Let me see what you've got."

Avalos produced a small wooden box from the folds of his cloak and placed it on the counter top. He undid the latch and lifted the lid to reveal a green potion bottle nestled comfortably amidst a form fitting velvet interior. Ursula regarded the bottle with interest and removed it from the box. Immediately upon touching the bottle, she began to feel nauseous and dehydrated. She quickly set the bottle down on the counter and wiped off her hands with the wet rag she'd been using to clean the decanter.

"Potent stuff," Ursula said. "You have my attention."

"Severus Snape, the previous headmaster of Hogwarts before McGonagall, used to be the potions master, and he accumulated an interesting collection," Avalos explained. "I was, ah... _cleaning_ one of his storage caches when I found this. Most of his potions were what you'd expect, but this was something more potent... something cosmic."

"Go on," Ursula encouraged him.

"Polybotes, the Gigas created to destroy Poseidon, was known for his toxicity," Avalos continued. "He could create a poison that could kill even the God of the Sea himself, and dear Professor Snape managed to acquire a bottle of that poison. I examined it myself, and this small amount is potent enough to exterminate the merperson population of the Black Lake, which is why I'm guessing Snape had it in the first place: a last resort in case the merpeople on campus became a problem."

"A poison that targets the creatures of the sea, powerful enough to kill a sea god," Ursula said with a venomous smile. "How... interesting. And why would you want to sell such a unique commodity?"

"I have no reason to want to kill merpeople," Avalos explained, "and as much as I hate to lose a cosmic artifact like this, it's more trouble for me than it's worth. I could lose my teaching credentials and wind up serving years in Azkaban if I kept it. Better to acquire fair compensation and then wash my hands of it. Besides, you're a sea-witch, and as softhearted as it may sound, I feel better selling to you than to someone who I _know_ would use it as an instrument for genocide. What you ultimately do with it is your business, and I don't want to know."

"You've got yourself a deal," Ursula said, extending her hand. "The candle for the poison."

Avalos shook Ursula's hand, and the sea-witch's tentacles immediately began to wrap the dark candle for her customer. Once the candle was securely packaged, Avalos took the artifact and tucked it into his cloak.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Ursula," he said with a grin as he took his leave.

Ursula chuckled to herself as she admired her newest acquisition. This potion was exactly what she needed to make her dreams of ruling Atlantica come to fruition.

"Triton, my old friend, you're not gonna know what hit you!"

* * *

Jane and Professor Porter had been saved by Tarzan. Waltham was slightly disappointed, but she wasn't surprised. The goal was to make him choose between suffering her way or her brother's way, and Tarzan had chosen to die like Clayton. Waltham couldn't say she blamed him. Her own suffering was a pain she would only wish on a select few. At any rate, Waltham had no intention of letting Tarzan live no matter what. Despite what she'd told him, the antidote to the poison was not on Clayton's Peak. Waltham kept that particular commodity on her person at all times. The poison should have knocked him unconscious by now, yet Waltham was stunned to see Tarzan scaling Clayton's Peak, still trudging forward.

"You're a tough one alright," she mused aloud. "Too bad it's all for naught, Tarzan."

"By the looks of it, he has no more than a few precious minutes of life left," Grimhilde agreed as she hobbled up beside Waltham.

"Might as well give him something else to do in the mean time," Cruella said with a devilish grin.

Cruella whistled shrilly, and Tarzan froze when he saw a swarm of angry baboons running towards him. Tarzan attempted to evade and out maneuver the monkeys, but they eventually chased him over to the clearing where Waltham, Grimhilde, and Cruella were waiting. Tarzan tried to turn his focus back onto his path towards the antidote, but the baboons had formed a perimeter around him and the three villainesses.

"We've come to the end of our story, Tarzan," Waltham declared with a smug grin. "You will, at last, pay for what you did to Clayton! And you can die knowing that my associates, and I will be going after your accomplice with the Keyblade next!"

"This won't bring your brother back, and it won't make you feel any better," Tarzan said through panting breaths.

"Thank you for your concern, but let me be the judge of that," Waltham said. "Right, well, I suppose I should tell you now that the antidote is right here in my hand."

Waltham produced the vial of antidote from her pocket and held it aloft proudly. Tarzan made a move towards her, but, when he did, a baboon broke out of line and punched him backwards. Waltham grinned triumphantly as she smashed the antidote across a large rock at her feet. As the bottle shattered, Tarzan's last hope of survival smashed with it. He let out an anguished cry that warmed Waltham's heart.

"And now I get the pleasure of watching you expire," Waltham said with a grin.

However, fate had other plans for those gathered on Clayton's Peak. The grasses rustled, the ground rumbled, and with an ear-piercing roar, three Stealth Sneaks lunged into view, knocking the three women to the ground. With Cruella's concentration broken, the baboons scattered in fear of the lizard-like Heartless. Tarzan, meanwhile, was unable to keep himself conscious any longer as the poison overtook him. He collapsed to the ground as the Heartless began to circle.

"We have to get away," Grimhilde shouted as she summoned up a Corridor of Darkness.

"No! I need to watch him DIE!" Waltham shrieked as Cruella ran into the dark portal.

"He's as good as dead!" Grimhilde declared as she threw a spell to keep the Stealth Sneaks back. "But you won't survive against these monsters if we stay!"

Waltham reluctantly agreed and proceeded into the Corridor of Darkness alongside Grimhilde, content in the knowledge that Tarzan was truly as good as dead now. The Stealth Sneaks, with their target now gone, turned their attention instead to the only heart around them still beating: Tarzan's. His pulse was low, but his dying heart would make a tasty treat for the Heartless.

One of the Stealth Sneaks began to jump towards Tarzan, but the creature was hit in the head by a flying object, disorienting it and taking its attention away from its prey. The metal object, a shield, flew back to its owner's hand, and when its owner caught it, he began to twirl around like a tornado, knocking into the hoard of Heartless.

"THUNDER!" a squawking voice cried, summoning up bolts of lightning that struck the Stealth Sneaks.

Having been weakened by the attacks dealt to them, the Stealth Sneaks were vaporized into nothingness by the lightning bolts.

"And stay away!" Donald shouted at the beast as they vanished.

"Oh my GAWRSH!" Goofy shouted. "Tarzan's in big trouble!"

"WAK!" Donald quacked. "CURAGA!"

A green, mystic light engulfed Tarzan, and twitches of movement in his body signified that he was being cured of the poison.

"That spell will keep him alive," Donald told Goofy, "but we better get him some help!"

Goofy helped Tarzan up and draped Tarzan's arm over his shoulder. "I got ya, buddy! Don't you worry 'bout nothin'!"

* * *

The Corridor of Darkness returned the three villainesses to the location of Deep Jungle's Keyhole. Grimhilde and Cruella grinned wickedly as they realized that their spell was ready to be completed.

"Now then, dear Waltham, it's time to crush Sora's legacy!" Grimhilde declared. "Let your dark impulses grow, feed your anger and your pain, harness it!"

"What?" Waltham asked. "But how will-"

"Just do it and save us the trouble of a lengthy exposition," Cruella interrupted.

Lady Waltham did as she was told, and her entire body began to undertake a red and black glow. Her volatile darkness began to pulsate and thrive. Grimhilde grinned and began to channel that darkness into her spell. The Keyhole responded in kind with a similar dark pulse. Grimhilde held Hades's Skeleton Key aloft as the power began to channel inside of it, and, with a flash of darkness, the spell was completed.

"Now the portal to this world is under our command!" Grimhilde declared and followed up her declaration with a fiendish cackle that Cruella joined in with.

Waltham couldn't claim to understand what was going on, but she shared her allies' joy. After all, if their victory meant a loss for her brother's murderer, then Waltham was more than content to celebrate it.

"Now then," Waltham said. "That mirror of yours. Perhaps it could show me Tarzan's demise, just so that I can see it for sure for myself."

"Of course," Grimhilde nodded as she produced the mirror from her cloak. " _Magic mirror in my hand, show Lady Waltham the fate of Tarzan._ "

The mirror flashed and an image took shape of Tarzan waking up back in the jungle tree house.

"Daddy! He's waking up!" Jane declared as she hovered over Tarzan's bedside.

"What happened?" Tarzan asked as Professor Porter began to examine him.

"You're getting better, that's what happened!" Porter declared. "You're going to make a full recovery!"

"You're going to be alright!" Jane said as she hugged Tarzan's neck.

"But the... poison," Tarzan said, confused.

"Our friends were able to get to you in time with their magic," Jane explained as she gestured to Donald and Goofy standing behind her.

The two heroes smiled and waved in a cartoonish manner.

"NO!" Waltham shouted angrily. "HOW COULD THIS BE!"

Grimhilde scowled and tucked her mirror back into her cloak. "Those two imbeciles are Sora's sidekicks. Unintelligent to be sure but quite annoying with their tendency to meddle."

"They have powerful magic too," Cruella added.

"We have to go back!" Waltham said decisively. "Tarzan must pay the way that Clayton did!"

"Unfortunately, if Donald and Goofy are here, that makes matters more complicated," Grimhilde explained. "It'll be nearly impossible for you to destroy Tarzan with those two around, and, quite frankly, we have no desire to attract unwanted attention from those fools. Doing so may jeopardize our scheme."

"So Tarzan simply gets off Scott-free?" Waltham asked angrily.

"Perfectly wretched, those heroes are," Cruella said in agreement.

"Patience, dear Waltham," Grimhilde said. "Tarzan, Sora, Donald, and Goofy _will_ all perish, but timing is quite important. Come with us to meet our other friends. We can regroup and devise a new strategy to destroy our enemies. What say you to that, Waltham?"

"In the months following Clayton's death, my only comfort was planning Tarzan's demise," Waltham said with a sigh. "In the wake of this failure, I have nothing else to comfort my sleepless nights than whatever you have to offer me. So, yes, I will go with you, but you must swear I will not be denied my vengeance."

"You have my word," Grimhilde said with a nod. "Welcome to the Overtakers, Lady Waltham."

* * *

Pietro Polendina's pharmacy in Mantle was where the young heroes of Remnant had opted to hide out from Ironwood's soldiers. In truth, it wasn't safe for any of them to remain anywhere close to Atlas, but with Salem's arrival eminent and both Qrow and Oscar still missing, no one felt right leaving it behind. Team RWBY, Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Maria had taken to sweeping the surrounding area to clear out any remaining Grimm from the onslaught. That left Pietro and his daughter Penny to stay and guard their safe-house.

"How are you feeling, darling?" Pietro asked when he noticed Penny sitting quietly on the chair in the corner.

"The new power," Penny said, referring to the powers of the Winter Maiden that she'd gained only a few short hours ago. "It feels... like... like hunger."

Pietro furrowed his brow at that phrasing. He couldn't begin to understand what the maiden powers entailed. After all, he was a man of science, and the powers were magic by any other name. While Pietro was sure that the powers _could_ be quantified by verifiable science if given the opportunity for study, that wasn't a luxury anyone had at the moment.

"Well, sweetheart," Pietro began, "if there's anything I can do for you, you just let me kn-"

The sound of the pharmacy's door creaking open set Pietro and Penny both on edge. Pietro wordlessly gestured for Penny to hide in the back room.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed right now," Pietro called out as he maneuvered his robotic chair over towards the entrance.

The figure Pietro saw enter the shop caused him to go silent. It was like seeing the ghost of a friend who'd passed away years ago. But Pietro also knew that the ghost was not the same friend he'd once known. The man who entered the pharmacy was much worse than any of Ironwood's soldiers.

"A pharmacy should never be closed, Pietro," the man said as he entered the shop like he owned the place. "After all, weren't you always the one who went on and on about the duty we had to serve the people?"

Pietro's expression was unreadable, and his emotions couldn't make up their mind as to how he was feeling.

"Hello Arthur. It's been a long time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lady Waltham, Hobson, Tarzan, Jane, and Professor Porter are from The Legend of Tarzan.
> 
> Pietro and Penny Poledina are from RWBY.
> 
> Evan Avalos and Jacob Kritiker are my OCs set in the Harry Potter universe.


	7. Evil Comes Prepared

Pietro Polendina and Arthur Watts stood staring at each other silently for a moment, as if both were taking in the sight of each other after their many years apart.

"It's good to see you, Arthur," Pietro said with a halfhearted smile. "It really does my heart good to see you alive."

Of all the things Watts had expected Pietro to say, that wasn't one of them. Watts's usual unshakable confidence became flustered at Pietro's kindness. Watts simply shook his head and chuckled, attempting to laugh off the discomfort.

"Oh I see how it is," Watts said. "You always were a fat imbecile, and now you're too stupid to even put together the simple logic that I am the one who's been behind everything."

Watts stretched out his arms for dramatic effect, expecting a gasp of horror from Pietro. Yet none came.

"No, Arthur, I suspected you were involved from the beginning," Pietro said. "And I heard all about what you've been up to since. But while I know you've done terrible things, I also know that Salem made you do it."

"Salem didn't make me do anything," Watts said definitively. "I aligned with her because it suited me, and everything I've done, I _enjoyed_."

"She might've made you _think_ that, but I know you better," Pietro said with a shake of his head. "But even with all of that, it's _still_ good to see you alive. You don't know how heartbroken I was when I thought you were dead. You were my friend, Arthur, and to lose you was a pain I don't think I ever truly got over."

Watts grinned at that. "Well then I'm glad I was able to inflict _some_ amount of suffering upon you, however unintentional that may have been."

"What I still don't understand is what I ever did to make you hate me so much," Pietro said somberly.

"You really don't know?" Arthur snapped. "You took Ironwood's favor away from me! He chose your pathetic Penny project over mine, and gave you all the glory that came with it!"

"My Penny project was never about the glory," Pietro said. "Glory means nothin' to me."

"And that makes it even worse!" Watts hissed. "You took something you didn't even want that should have been _mine_ by right!"

"I wish I could give you the glory," Pietro lamented. "But I can't regret how things happened, because it got me my sweet girl, and for her I'd do it all over again the same way if I had to."

Watts glared at Pietro with stone cold intensity. "You know what's coming next, don't you?"

"I do," Pietro nodded. "Maybe now you'll be able to find some peace."

Watts pulled out his revolver and aimed at Pietro. "Good-bye Pietro. For good this time."

"You'll always be my friend, Arthur," Pietro said as he closed his eyes in preparation.

The trigger was pulled, and the bullet blasted through Pietro's already shattered aura, striking him in the heart. As the kindly old scientist slumped forward and went still, a cry of anguish from one room over echoed throughout the shop. Watts glanced away from his victim to see Penny smashing into the room with green fires radiating from her eyes.

"YOU!" Penny shouted, anguish shaking in her voice.

"Not so fast!" a deep voice shouted as a blast of mystic energy slammed into Penny, knocking her through the wall and out into the street.

The invisibility spell concealing Doom and Loki from view melted away. The trickster god let out a wicked cackle as he chased Penny out of the hole in the wall. Doom lingered behind for a moment.

"You go on ahead," Watts said to his new ally. "I'd like a moment alone if you don't mind."

Doom nodded and followed after Loki, leaving Watts alone with Pietro's lifeless body. Watts rested his hand on Pietro's shoulder and looked away.

"A genius never would have pieced out his soul like you did," Watts said. "You inflicted weakness upon yourself for the sake of a child. I don't care what Ironwood said, there's nothing noble about self-inflicted wounds, just as there was nothing noble about you."

With his final good-bye said, Watts departed from the pharmacy through the front door. Out in the streets, Doom and Loki danced around Penny's various lasers and blasts of elemental magic courtesy of the Winter Maiden powers all while hurling blasts of their own sorcery back at the android.

"An intriguing blend of machine and magic," Doom remarked. "Unfortunately for you, machinery and mysticism happen to be _my_ areas of expertise!"

Doom's armor pulsed with energy whilst a glyph of mystic energy surrounded Penny. As the two energies collided, Penny howled in pain as she fell from the air and landed with a thunk on the concrete.

"An EMP and mystical nullification spell working in collusion," Doom explained as he stalked over towards the fallen Penny. "You're no match for the brilliance of DOOM!"

Loki punctuated Doom's threat with a villainous cackle as he watched with sadistic intrigue as Doom approached the android.

"And now that incredible power you hold shall be MINE!" Doom threatened as his hands began to glow a deep shade of green.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" a high pitched voice shrieked.

Doom looked up just in time to jump backwards to avoid being sliced in two by a crimson scythe being wielded by a very angry looking little girl in a red hood. Loki attempted to come to his lover's aid, but a glyph beneath his feet hurled him up into the air. Loki did a back flip in midair to land safely back on the ground and glared with enraged hatred at the source of the glyph: a white haired girl in a blue dress wielding a rapier. Doom and Loki stood back to back as others arrived. A girl with long golden hair, a girl with black cat ears, a blonde boy wielding sword and shield, an Asian looking young man with long black hair, and a bubbly red haired girl with a large hammer that brought back unpleasant memories for Loki.

"We can destroy these pests easily," Doom said confidently.

"Don't be so sure," Watts warned as he rejoined his allies. "They've been a consistent thorn in my side despite all evidence to the contrary."

"Then allow me to carve out the splinter," Loki said as he summoned a blade to his hand.

A rumbling sound shook the streets of Mantle, and Loki briefly wondered if it was an earthquake. However, a lump grew in his throat when he saw the source of the noise: a thundering herd of Grimm heading directly for them.

"Let's leave our young heroes to deal with these beasts," Watts suggested.

"But the android," Doom growled.

"Is nothing without its creator," Watts assured him. "My revenge will suffice."

"Very well," Doom acquiesced. "Loki, take us to a more secure location."

"Gladly," Loki said as he dramatically waved his arms.

The Overtakers vanished from the streets of Mantle amidst a blur of green magic just as the Grimm hoard swarmed over the young heroes.

* * *

The dark shadows of the evening descended upon the Elephant Graveyard, and the various geysers and volcanic pools cast the entire area in alternating shades of sickly green, Hellish red, and dark midnight blue. It was far and away the most frightening location in the Pride Lands, which made it all the more comforting for the Overtakers currently passing through.

"Feels just like home," Hades remarked as he admired a pile of elephant bones gathered around a small pool of lava. "I could go for a summer villa built out here. A nice little place to get away from it all."

"Do try and stay focused," Jafar hissed. "Your fondness for the macabre will not bring us any closer to controlling the pathway to this world."

"Jaffy, you're a stick in the mud as always, babe," Hades said with a sneer.

"Aye, he has an odious tendency to spoil simple pleasures," Hook agreed.

Jafar scowled at that. "Yes, well, if I'm such a pleasure spoiler, then perhaps I should stop making any effort to appease _you_ in the bedroom."

"Let's not be hasty," Hook said with an awkward smile. "Nothing more than playful ribbing, love."

"No, no, I appreciate your honesty, truly," Jafar said smugly. "I will no longer burden you with denying my true nature as a... how you say... _stick in the mud_."

"Yeesh, Hook, I might as well call you Cerberus, because it sounds like you're in the dog house," Hades quipped.

Hook groaned and opted to change the subject. "What exactly do we know about this particular world aside from the fact that it's predominantly inhabited by talking animals?"

"Pete came here a while back and teamed up with the king, Scar, a mean and aptly named lion with a diva tantrum tendency," Hades explained. "Scar got turned into a Heartless, met Sora, and then that little kitty got put down."

"Turned into a Heartless, you say?" Jafar asked as he stroked his beard.

"Yeah, hello, just said it. You losin' your hearing, babe?" Hades replied.

Jafar shot Hades a venomous glare, but did not dignify his question with a response.

"Is Scar a scraggly lion with a black mane and a large scar over one of his eyes?" Hook asked.

"Yeah, why?" Hades asked.

"Because I found him," Hook said, gesturing over to a large elephant skull.

Nestled between the two enormous tusks was a lion exactly as Hook had described. The lion looked up from chewing on a meatless bone to see what all the fuss was about and immediately tensed up upon noticing his humanoid guests.

"Relax, babe, we come in peace," Hades said as he walked over to the lion. "Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead, hey and how ya doin'?"

"Lord of the Dead, you say?" Scar asked fearfully. "Have you come to deliver me my final judgment for escaping death?"

"No, nothin' like- Wait. Escaping death? Back up the olive cart, NOW!" Hades ordered.

Scar trembled slightly in the face of Hades's rage, but he maintained his regal composure. "Oh did I say escaping death? How silly of me! Well, you see, I just had a... ah... slip of the tongue, nothing more. Of course I'd never _dream_ of cheating death."

"Wasn't born yesterday, Scarski," Hades said, wagging his finger. "Tell me the story NOW or I start turning up the heat."

To punctuate his meaning, Hades shot a small streak of fire into a nearby geyser, causing it to erupt with smoke and a terrible hissing sound. Scar laughed nervously

"You make your point rather vividly," Scar replied. "Very well. After my encounter with a strange lion from the stars known as Pete, I found myself split into two forms, one in which I could feel nothing but gained powerful magic to battle against Sora, the second in which I was but a ghostly darkness that could congregate into a larger and more monstrous form to shake the ground."

"A Heartless and a Nobody, I see," Jafar remarked. "Go on."

"Both forms were destroyed by a meddlesome cub named Sora," Scar explained. "Yet once my second form was eliminated, I found myself _whole_ once again. Simba had already taken back my kingdom, and my hyenas had fled from the Pride Lands, so I slipped away and hid out here to make plans to reclaim the throne."

"Oy vey, it's that Heartless and Nobody recompleted loophole nonsense again," Hades said with a groan. "I gotta get that loophole closed. I swear, it's costing me more business..."

"As luck would have it," Jafar chimed in, addressing Scar personally, "the lion you encountered, Pete, is a lower echelon member of our organization. We have an interest in this world, and given your previous alignment with our cause, we would be amenable to sharing the spoils of our victory in exchange for your aid."

"And what exactly _is_ your interest in this world?" Scar asked as he rose to his feet and began to pace around the area. "Pete and I had an arrangement that he would have free reign to amass soldiers for his army of Heartless from my subjects in exchange for my use of their powers. Is this to be a continuation or something new?"

"Call it a _spiritual_ successor, babe," Hades said, earning a groan from Hook at the pun. "Ya see, this world is connected to three others by a magical portal system. Kids riding skateboards ring any bells for ya?"

Scar groaned. "Yes, unfortunately. They aligned with Simba and foiled numerous schemes I'd devised before assuming the throne. I thought them long gone."

"Ah, but the pathway they used to arrive in this world remains," Jafar pointed out. "We seek to control that pathway, to ensure that the only ones with access to this world are our Overtakers or those whom we deem worthy."

"Block out the meddlesome heroes," Scar added with a grin. "That _would_ give me quite the advantage in regaining my throne. But how do we accomplish such a feat?"

"Well," Jafar began, "you see, the temporal energies of-"

"The details are a bit of a bore," Hook interrupted, sparing Scar an overly technical explanation. "Suffice to say, we've a magical means of controlling the path."

"Very well," Scar nodded. "Tell me what I must do..."

* * *

Following Cinder Fall proved to be a more difficult task than either Hans or Demyx anticipated. The Fall Maiden's trail practically went cold after her brief encounter with the Overtakers. No matter how many of the hysterical Atlesians Hans made sweet eyes at, the two men couldn't find a single lead to her location.

"This is a complete waste of time!" Demyx complained loudly as he plopped down onto a bench.

"There's got to be some avenues we haven't explored," Hans said with a groan as he attempted to study a nearby map of Atlas.

"What's the point?" Demyx asked with a huff. "We're never gonna find her, and do you honestly think Doom and Loki are ever gonna let us back into the Overtakers? I think they made it pretty clear that we're _both_ on thin ice."

Hans cringed at that turn of phrase but did his best not to let it show. "Then we're just going to have to do our best to skate over it. I've been in more precarious situations than this, and I'm willing to bet you have too."

Hans was right, but Demyx wasn't about to admit that.

"And how would you know what I've been through?" Demyx asked.

"Because you and I are more alike than I think anyone would guess," Hans answered. "You've been underestimated and undervalued all your life. You've been treated like nothing by everyone who should've mattered, and you think if you live down to their expectations then no one can be disappointed in you anymore. Because to you, that's better than admitting that anything could hurt you."

Demyx and Hans stood there in silence for a minute as Demyx absorbed Hans's words. Hans had gotten to the core of him, and Demyx definitely had been feeling a certain connection to Hans over their similar backstories. Perhaps Hans really did understand him. Demyx just wasn't sure that was a particularly good thing.

"Wow... that's deep," Demyx said. "There's just... one problem though."

"And what's that?" Hans asked.

"You must think I'm an IDIOT!" Demyx shouted. "I mean, really, your whole thing is being an evil prince charming. You and manipulation go together like Xemnas and overly long monologues. _You_ don't live down to _anyone's_ expectations. You take advantage of those expectations and then prove them wrong in a karmic way. Anyone with half a brain could see that about you."

"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Dem," Hans said, putting on wounded puppy dog eyes. "You and I have a connection, and I know you feel it too."

"Mmhmm, yeah, sure," Demyx said suspiciously as he crossed his arms. "How does anyone fall for this? I don't even believe this whole shtick worked on Princess What's-Her-Face."

"It actually did," Hans insisted.

"A-HA!" Demyx shouted as he pointed at Hans.

"Okay, _fine_ , yes, I was trying to manipulate you," Hans relented, dropping the facade. "But I was doing it for your own good... and mine. Because you're right: we are on thin ice right now, and I have _no_ intentions of drowning in a frozen lake."

"Drowning's not that bad," Demyx said as he summoned up a stream of water to float in patterns above his hand.

"Like it or not, you and I are tied together," Hans said. "Now we can either work together to keep _both_ of our heads above water, or I can cut off the dead weight so that I can stay afloat. Because I promise you, if there's one thing you can count on me for more than manipulation, it's self-preservation."

Demyx groaned but ultimately relented. "Fine. We're in it together. But what else can we do? The fire lady is long gone by now."

Just as Demyx said that, a short young woman with black hair and green eyes giddily skipped into an alleyway after checking a notification on her scroll.

"Did she seem familiar to you?" Hans asked.

"I don't think so?" Demyx replied. "I mean I guess she kinda reminded me of- OH! The ice cream lady! And _she's_ a shapeshifter too."

"Bingo! And where we find Neopolitan, we'll find Cinder," Hans declared.

Hans and Demyx sneakily and discreetly followed after Neo until she arrived at her destination: a small and secluded patio where the people she was meeting were waiting. Hans and Demyx stayed out of sight behind a brick wall as they eavesdropped on the conversations taking place. Yet Neo was not meeting with Cinder Fall. On the contrary, her rendezvous was with two gentlemen, one a red haired man in a black bowler hat and the other an ugly old man dressed all in red. Hans mused to himself that the older man must've been wealthy enough to purchase the affections of someone so young and handsome. Though Hans and Demyx didn't know it, the two gentlemen were named Roman Torchwick and Archibald Snatcher.

"Hey hey! There she is!" Roman exclaimed. "Neo, it's been- OW!"

Neo delivered an irritated punch to Roman's shoulder and glared at him with a fury that was only quelled by want of an explanation.

"Geez, Neo, that hurt!" Roman said. "Okay, okay, I get the point. You're mad that you thought I was dead and I'm not. I get it! But, actually, I _was_ dead. No, no, really this time!"

Neo glared at Roman and mimed something that neither Snatcher nor Hans nor Demyx understood. Apparently, however, it was something incredulous given Roman's scandalized reaction.

"No this is _not_ like the time I was dating Stank Breath, and you know it!" Roman replied. "I really got eaten by that gryphon, and I really got brought back from the dead by a necromancer bent on multi-world conquest. Is that so far-fetched to believe?"

"Really, Torchwick, jumping right into the truth with no cushion?" Snatcher asked. "Inadvisable, it is."

"Do we know a necromancer like that?" Hans whispered to Demyx.

"Actually, yeah," Demyx whispered back. "Xehanort kept tabs on all the inter-world travelers. Sounds like they work for Mozenrath to me."

"Mozenrath," Hans repeated. "I remember Hecate, Miratrix, and Morgana mentioning him during our time in prison together. So these guys are definitely our enemies."

"Yep," Demyx affirmed.

"Makes sense, that one in red looks like the most hideous peasant I've ever had the displeasure of laying eyes upon," Hans said with a sneer.

"His boyfriend doesn't exactly look like a winner either," Demyx added.

"Shh, they're talking about something that sounds important," Hans shushed his companion.

"Well Lord Mozenrath has big plans, he does!" Snatcher announced to Neo. "Torchwick and I are here on a very important mission to acquire the Relic of Creation."

"With that staff, we're gonna change all the worlds to be exactly what we want them to be," Roman added. "Not even Maleficent will be able to stop us."

"We'll just see about that," Hans said under his breath with a sly smirk.

* * *

Simba sat at the top of Pride Rock and stared out at the kingdom. He thought back to the days when he and his father would come up to this perch and the lessons that his father taught him then. Simba was not a perfect king, but he had come into his own and done the best that he could. The Pride Lands were prosperous under Simba's decisive leadership; the entire kingdom was lush and green again. A part of Simba wished his father could still be with him, but Simba knew better than anyone that his father's spirit lived on through him. That made all the difference to the young king.

"Admiring the view of your conquest?" a slithery voice behind him said.

Simba whirled around and gasped when he found himself face to face with Scar.

"But... how?" Simba asked.

"The forces of the universe are more complex than you could possibly know," Scar remarked with a chuckle.

Simba growled at his uncle. "You didn't respect the circle of life in life. I should have known you wouldn't in death either."

"Was that supposed to hurt me, hmm?" Scar asked.

"Get out of my kingdom!" Simba ordered.

" _Your_ kingdom?" Scar snarled. "These lands belong to me, usurper! And this time, _I'm_ the one with friends from another world to support my claim."

Jafar, Hades, and Hook appeared amidst a plume of smoke behind Scar. All four grinned wickedly at Simba who slowly backed away from the villains. To see humans in the Pride Lands was frightening enough for Simba, but Hades was something else entirely. With the flames atop his head, Simba instinctively knew that he was worse than anything else that had ever befallen the Pride Lands.

"So this is the nephew who usurped your kingdom?" Jafar asked. "He looks... vaguely familiar."

"All lions look alike, love," Hook said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm going to pretend that I did not hear that," Scar grumbled.

"No, no, I recall seeing _this_ lion in Agrabah once," Jafar said. "Yes... yes, fighting alongside the boy with the key."

"You're right about that," Simba boasted. "I helped Sora many times during my time as a summon."

"A summon, eh?" Hades asked as he greedily rubbed his hands together. "Well, hey, babe, that makes my job a whole lot easier. See, kid, maybe you remember the skateboard kid from back when you were a cub. Yeah, well, he was able to come to this world because of a connection he had to your _heart_. Now I was gonna have to defeat you, tear out your heart, and create a spell outta what was left, but if your heart was powerful enough to sustain a summon gem, we can just recreate that instead."

Simba bared his teeth at Hades's threat. "NO!"

With a mighty roar, Simba unleashed a wave of magic energy that blasted the four Overtakers off of Pride Rock. Simba attempted to run back into the den, but a plume of smoke blocked his path as Hades took shape.

"Neat trick," Hades said as the other three Overtakers rematerialized around Simba. "Now watch what I can do!"

Flames manifested themselves in Hades's hands, and he grinned devilishly as he raised them high above his head.

"Badda-BING!" Hades shouted as he unleashed the first fireball. "Badda-BOOM!" And he let the second fly.

The blasts collided with Simba, but, rather than burn him, the fires began to engulf him. Simba could feel his body being bent and twisted at Hades's behest. He let out a roar of agony, but the sound barely was able to escape his lips. The grin that grew on Scar's face as he watched Simba be transformed was practically demonic. Soon, all that was left of Simba was the Earthshine summon gem.

Hades chuckled to himself as he plucked the gem off of the ground and situated it comfortably on the handle of the skeleton key.

"Perfect fit! Ha-HA! YES!" Hades declared as his blue fires flared with excitement.

And so two of the pathways fell under the Overtakers' power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scar and Simba are from The Lion King.


	8. That Ain't No Happy Child

It was Saturday at Sunnyside Daycare, which meant there were no children on campus and all the toys were able to be up and about without fear of being spotted. To take advantage of the beautiful day, Barbie and Ken organized a beach volleyball tournament in the sand box with Sarge acting as the referee. The toys were happy now, very much unlike how they were under the tyranny of Lotso. The sight of such merriment sickened Maleficent.

"What simpering fools," she remarked.

"Is this what my toys got up to when I wasn't around as a kid?" Kieran asked as he looked on at the celebration.

"Nope, this here world seems to be the only place it happens," Pete answered.

"This is exactly the type of world my father would have destroyed," Trakeena added. "I'm sorely tempted to destroy it myself!"

"Patience, my dear," Maleficent cautioned. "There are ways to ruin insipid frivolity without destroying a potential resource."

Maleficent raised her staff above her head. The orb sparked with purple lightning that rocketed into the sky, and, in an instant, the warm and sunny day vanished and dark clouds overtook the sky. It wasn't long after that the rain began to pour down from the heavens, causing the various toys to scurry back indoors. Pete fumbled to open the black umbrella and held it over Maleficent's head. Trakeena summoned up her own umbrella, whilst Kieran simply pulled up his hood to cover his head.

"No offense, Maleficent," Kieran began, "but a world with talking toys seems a little low stakes for us. I thought we were looking for powerful magic."

"It's connected to Olliewood, see?" Pete replied as he slowly began to look more and more like a drowned rat. "Dat means there's some magic 'round here that could be real useful for us."

"Precisely," Maleficent nodded. "And, in fact, the living toys present a most intriguing development."

"And what development is that?" Trakeena asked.

"A few years back, I encountered a wooden boy named Pinocchio," Maleficent explained."He was a mere puppet carved by Geppetto, yet his creator's love and the magic of the Blue Fairy granted that empty puppet a heart of his own. There seems to be a similar magic working through this world as well."

"What-a-huh-now?" Pete asked, suddenly very confused.

"Wait, are you saying the kids love their toys so much, they're making them come alive?" Kieran asked, dumbfounded by the possibility.

"Yes," Maleficent nodded. "The path to this world was forged by the connecting of hearts, and this world is populated full of hearts _created_ by a connection to another. That is not a coincidence. If we can control one connection, we can control the other."

"This is makin' my head hurt," Pete complained as he scratched his soaking wet head. "Just what're we s'posed to be doin'?"

"Actually I think I get it," Trakeena said. "It's like if you poison a river upstream, then the downstream river is going to be poisoned too. We just have to create our own connection between a kid and a toy based on darkness, and then that darkness will let us control the portal."

Maleficent smiled. "I knew I had good reason to bring you along, Trakeena. But a child will not be necessary. If the information my Heartless have gathered holds true, there is one in this world who I believe can grant us the power we seek..."

* * *

By the time Sid Phillips got home from his garbage shift, his dad was already in front of the TV, drinking what was probably his fifth beer of the day. All things considered, Sid was almost relieved that his dad was sticking to beer this evening.

"Don't leave your work clothes sitting out in the laundry," his father growled. "They smell like shit and piss, stinking up the whole goddamn house."

"Heh," Sid scoffed maybe a bit too loudly.

As if the old man could smell anything over the stench of vodka that seemed to linger in the air or the musty odor that permanently radiated from the carpet. What a fucking joke. Sid sighed to himself at the miserable routine he'd become so accustomed to. He slipped upstairs into his room and flopped down on his sheetless mattress. In contrast to the rest of the house which seemed to be normal and perpetually stuck in the nineties, Sid's room was covered wall to wall in heavy metal posters with black lights and lava lamps providing the only illumination.

As Sid glanced over to his work bench, he noticed something strange: a purple envelope tied together with black ribbon sitting propped against his tool box. Sid got up and examined the envelope. He couldn't imagine such an artistically sealed letter coming from his father, which meant that someone else had been inside of his room. His heart began to pound against his chest as a memory long suppressed reminded him of exactly who could have placed the envelope on his desk. Sid carefully untied the ribbon, ran his finger under the flap to open the envelope, and removed the letter inside. It was hand written in ink, and whoever had written it had impeccable penmanship.

_Dear Sid,_

_You are not the only one who knows the truth about the toys._

_Secrets can only be kept for so long, after all._

_But fear not. I only wish to help you, my dear, and to right past wrongs._

_In an hour's time, meet me at the place called Pizza Planet._

_There, we shall discuss your future._

_~A new friend_

Sid read the letter over and over again trying to figure out where it had come from. As a child, he'd been traumatized by his toys coming to life and threatening him to stop doing things that he'd only ever done in innocent childhood fun. As much as he'd tried to tell himself it was all just a bad dream, a part of him had always known it was real, and now it appeared that someone else knew as well. Part of him felt relief, yet the other felt unimaginable terror. However, no matter what was on the horizon, there was one thing Sid knew for certain:

There was no way he was turning down this invitation.

* * *

When Ardyn entered the Overtaken Kingdom's gym, he couldn't help but laugh at the sight that greeted him. A shirtless Skurge the Executioner was bench pressing an impressively heavy dumbbell, showing off his impressive muscles to Amora the Enchantress, who was sitting off to the side with a fruity beverage as she admired the view.

"I was not aware that weight training was a spectator sport," Ardyn remarked as he approached the duo.

"With an impressive enough physique, any sport can amass an audience," Amora remarked as she conjured a chair for Ardyn to sit in next to her.

"Don't mind if I do," Ardyn said as he took his seat. "I had thought Blackheart tore Skurge apart back in Orlais."

Amora sneered at that. "He did. I finally got around to putting my Executioner back together again."

"Next time... erg... that damn demon... erg... is going to be... erg... sliced into ribbons," Skurge threatened amidst repetitions.

"Do try and leave his nether-regions unscathed," Ardyn requested as Amora summoned up a drink for him. "I'm rather fond of _those_ bits and would hate to see such impressive equipment damaged."

"I actually rather like Skurge's scars," Amora said as she gestured to Skurge's chest. "They convey the notion of a hardened warrior who has endured much."

"I suppose so, if you've a taste for such things," Ardyn shrugged. "Personally, I've a greater fondness for wicked intent and bloodlust than a crude warrior."

"With those qualifications, I'm surprised you haven't bedded Russell Edgington," Amora quipped.

" _Yet_ ," Ardyn replied with a wink.

Skurge returned the dumbbell to its holder and wiped the sweat off his brow as he sat up.

"I regret I was unable to test my mettle against the Olympians," Skurge huffed. "You should have resurrected me _before_ the battle so that I could avenge your honor against Zeus."

"We had more than enough fighting for our cause," Amora said dismissively. "You were not needed."

Skurge scowled and gritted his teeth at that remark. Amora's disregard cut him deeper than any of Blackheart's lacerations.

"Now were my ears burning?" Russell Edgington asked as he strolled into the room.

"Oh please, we _all_ are aware of your enhanced hearing," Amora said with a sigh. "We know you heard your name being mentioned. You are not subtle."

Russell scoffed. "Well if we're skipping the foreplay, then I'll just jump right to the point of my droppin' in."

"Please do," Amora said as she attempted to take a sip from her drink, only to find that she couldn't catch the straw with her mouth.

"You're a total disaster, you realize?" Ardyn teased.

"I need to talk to you about the woman you brought back from Hell," Russell said.

"Cora? What of her?" Amora asked.

"You do realize she's the mother of Regina Mills, don't you?" Russell asked.

"Is that name suppose to mean anything to me?" Amora replied.

"I suppose you _did_ join after the Battle of Avalon," Russell said more to himself than anyone. "Regina is one of the heroes who helped thwart our schemes to gain the Book of Prophecies."

"So Cora's a relation of a hero," Amora said with a roll of her eyes. "So what? Are we to distrust Loki because he's the brother of Thor? Cora trained Audrey to harness her magic when no one else would, and her work ensured a decisive victory over Ultron in the Olympian battle."

"I don't deny that Cora's served our cause, but I don't trust her loyalty," Russell said. "After all, helpin' a young girl destroy an army of robots is hardly the mark of a true villain. She _used_ to be one when she was missin' her heart, but now..."

"Are you simply speculating, or do you have reasons to support your paranoia?" Amora asked.

"Glad you brought that up," Russell answered. "My wolves have been trailing her. She's been takin' a few secret trips to Storybrooke, and she just so happens to be there right fuckin' now."

"Is it a crime to leave the Eminence Palace now?" Amora asked, though her confidence in Cora had very clearly been damaged.

"No, but it _is_ suspicious how she seems to be stalkin' her daughter," Russell said. "I'm willin' to bet she's lookin' for some opening to re-establish contact. If she does and shares with her daughter what we're up to, then we're fucked, now aren't we?"

"That _would_ be unfortunate," Ardyn agreed.

Amora scowled at the vampire's statement. "And why should I concern myself with Cora. If she's betrayed us, then no doubt you and the upper echelon will deal with her however you see fit. Why involve me?"

"Because _you_ vouched for her," Russell said as he leaned in close to Amora. " _You_ were the one who made Jafar and Hook bring her from Hell and instate her as a member. She's _your_ responsibility."

"Back away from the Enchantress," Skurge warned as he placed a hand on Russell's shoulder.

Russell sighed, grabbed Skurge's wrist, and threw him across the room into a rack of exercise equipment.

"I hate it when he makes me do that," Russell said with a coy smile that told Ardyn and Amora that Russell didn't actually hate it one bit. "Anyways, I'm actually tellin' you to _help_ you, because I happen to admire your glamorous bitchy slut princess shtick and would hate to see you go down because Cora fucked things up for you. If you and I can handle her quietly, then you'll get praise and benefits rather than scorn and punishment."

Skurge growled and picked himself up, looking like he was about to throttle Russell. However, Amora held up a single hand to halt the Executioner in his path.

"Very well then," Amora said with a nod. "I accept."

* * *

It wasn't the first time Sid had broken into Pizza Planet. Picking the lock on the restaurant's backdoor had been a point of pride for Sid back in high school. All the same, the dark and stormy night coupled with the mysterious letter served to make Sid feel uneasy about his actions. He told himself that the strange feeling was just uncomfortability from being soaking wet from the rain, but deep down he knew it was more than that.

The arcade games had all been shut off for the night, and the Alien Slime animatronic heads created an eerie silhouette amongst the darkness. Sid looked around for whoever invited him to this place, but he seemed to be completely alone... or at least he did before he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. Sid looked behind the claw machine to see if he could find the source of the movement.

Just as he did, a dark shadow leapt from behind the Planet Destroyer console and barreled over to him. Sid stumbled out of the way of the shadow, and he soon noticed a silver glint amidst the darkness: a knife. Sid's heart started racing as he ran for the door. He could hear the knife being swung through the air a few inches behind him. As Sid reached the front doors, he attempted to pry them open, yet they would not budge. Sid turned around just in time for an arm to press against his chest and push him against the door. Sid could feel the knife being pressed against his throat.

"No sudden movements or I slit your throat," a deep voice cautioned.

Sid finally was able to look upon the face of his assailant and a white ghostly mask resembling a screaming face stared back at him.

"Did you come alone?" the assailant asked. "DID YOU?"

"Yeah, yes, what the fuck, yes," Sid answered.

"Now answer me this one question," the assailant said. "If you lie, I'll know, and then I'll cut your throat. Are you the boy who tortured toys and then saw them come alive?"

Sid's heart by now felt like it would pound out of his chest. "Yes, I am. It was a long time ago. I haven't hurt a toy since that day, I swear!"

"More's the pity," the assailant said as he removed the knife from Sid's throat and released him.

The lights of the restaurant came on as Sid struggled to catch his breath. Now fully visible, Sid could see that the masked figure wore a hooded coat of all black. Sid also saw right away that his assailant was not the only one here. Three others became visible as the lights came on.

"My apologies for the histrionics," Maleficent said as she approached Sid. "One can never be too careful these days, as I'm sure you'll agree, Sid."

"Who the fuck are you people?" Sid asked as he studied the strange gathering in front of him.

"I am Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil," she replied. "My associates are the Overtakers. The ones you see here are Pete, Trakeena, and, of course, you've already acquainted yourself with Kieran."

Kieran removed the Ghostface mask and flashed Sid a coy smile.

"So you all know about... the... you know," Sid said, not fully able to verbalize it.

"The toys? Yes, we do," Maleficent answered.

"Still feels weird to acknowledge it," Sid remarked. "If I ever brought it up, my old man would tell me to stop making up stories and then show me the buckle end of his belt."

Sid absently rubbed a hand over his wrist as he thought back to the pain. Kieran knew the others wouldn't notice the gesture, but he certainly did. Empathy wasn't exactly in Kieran's repertoire, but he did strangely sympathize with Sid on that front, thinking back to the scars his step-dad had left on him.

"The toys live because they are given hearts by a connection with those who _have_ hearts," Maleficent explained. "We seek to exploit that power to achieve our own goals."

"This is all starting to sound like a bad video game," Sid said as he glanced over at the arcade games.

"There is much in this universe that you do not yet understand," Maleficent said. "For now, let us focus on the toys. You are the only human in this world who is aware that the toys live. They revealed themselves to you, and thus you have a unique connection to them that cannot be equaled. That is why you are necessary to my plans."

"I don't want any connection to those freaky things," Sid replied. "I want to just get the fucking memory out of my head."

"Do not run from your experience," Maleficent cautioned him. "If you run in fear from those plastic puppets, you hand them the power to control you. They marked you as a rival. Embrace that position. It is one of _power_."

"That's... weirdly comforting," Sid said.

"You know that the connection exists, and thus you can _forge_ a connection," Maleficent continued. "You have the power to become a modern Prometheus, a creator of life, and we need for you to do exactly that in service to our cause."

"How the fuck do I do that?" Sid asked.

"By tapping into the power inside of you," Maleficent said. "The darkness within your heart is strength, though it lies dormant. I, however, have power over sleep and can rouse it from its deep slumber. Now, my dear, it is time to awaken that power and realize your full potential!"

A green mist began to radiate around Sid. At first, the energy frightened Sid, but then it started to feel pleasurable. It _was_ strength. Sid saw it all: his cruelty, his anger, his deepest desires, his selfish nature, and, most of all, his power. It was like opening his eyes to a great storm that currently recognized no master but that could be guided and directed by a skillful hand.

"This is... crazy," Sid said as he studied the mist. "But... It feels _good_."

Maleficent grinned. "Yes. Indeed it does. That power will allow you to accomplish much, not the least of which being the creation of the connection we seek. However, that connection cannot simply be made with a trivial piece of plastic. Our connection needs to involve something _powerful_."

Sid glanced at one of the arcade games and then back at Maleficent. "Do video games count as toys?"

Maleficent thought back to Space Paranoids and nodded. "There is precedent for that, yes."

Sid smiled and admired the video game console with the words "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" printed along the side of the machine.

"Then have I got a powerhouse for you..."

* * *

Hans and Demyx returned to the Overtakers' temporary base of operations in Mantle only to find that Watts, Doom, and Loki had already arrived.

"Oh goodie, you've returned," Watts said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Nice to see you too, Mustachio," Demyx said with a scowl.

"Charming," Watts replied. "If I may be so bold, Lord Doom, is this really the company you would present as the Overtakers?"

Doom's eyes narrowed at Hans and Demyx. "The fact that you both are here and not following Cinder does not bode well. Explain yourselves. Now."

"We... couldn't find her," Hans admitted.

"Thank you for illustrating my prior point," Watts chimed in.

"What? Do you think you're better than us?" Demyx asked.

"It’s nothing personal," Watts answered. "I am _demonstrably_ better than most. That you two so thoroughly prove it is hardly my fault."

"Pretty sure he thinks he's better than us," Demyx whispered to Hans.

"Need I remind you that you're here on a matter of redemption?" Loki said as he glared at Hans and Demyx. "If you cannot recover Princess Rapunzel, then we've no use for either of you."

"Your majesties, if I may," Hans interjected. "We may not have found Cinder, but we did discover something else of interest. Two of Mozenrath's flunkies are in Atlas, and they're pursuing something called the Relic of Creation."

"Mozenrath, did you say?" Loki asked with a smirk.

Doom scoffed at the mention of the rival sorcerer's name. He hadn't forgotten exactly who Mozenrath had kissed back when the Overtakers were new.

"What can you tell us about this Relic of Creation?" Doom asked.

"Well," Hans began, "from my understanding-"

"It's a powerful magical staff responsible for keeping Atlas afloat," Watts interrupted. "Salem is after it too. It's locked away inside of the vault inside Atlas Academy, and it can only be accessed with the aid of the Winter Maiden powers, which that robotic girl currently possesses. Honestly, if you want my opinion, gaining the staff is going to be more trouble than it's worth to our organization."

"And what do you know about our organization?" Demyx asked. "You've only been a member for a day now."

"And in that day, he's proven more useful than you," Doom warned. "Have a care how you speak."

"How would you like to proceed?" Hans asked. "I understand the odds of Mozenrath's stooges actually acquiring the relic are low, but they are a consistent enemy of ours."

"I'm quite attached to the idea of taking the staff for myself," Loki mused.

"I fear that course of action may be beyond us at the moment," Doom said. "If Arthur's assessment is correct, taking the relic would both be difficult and make us a continued target for Salem's ire. And for what? A power source of which our forces can already match the feat? We should focus on the power that is truly ours by right: that of Rapunzel."

"You're right, of course," Loki admitted. "However, I _would_ so enjoy seeing Mozenrath thwarted by our forces... perhaps, given that this was their discovery, Hans and Demyx can be given the task? After all, it is non-essential, so if they fail, it will be no loss for the Overtakers."

"We're being given busy work now," Demyx complained. "Great."

"A sensible decision," Doom nodded. "Very well. Hans and Demyx shall attend to Mozenrath's forces while we recover Rapunzel. Arthur, can you provide insight into where Salem might be keeping Rapunzel?"

Watts nodded. "I have a few ideas, though they'll likely be heavily guarded."

Loki laughed at that. " _Nothing_ is heavily guarded to _me_."

"You all have your objectives," Doom said as he addressed his comrades. "Now go!"

Demyx groaned. "More work, work, work. Can't we-"

"Come on, you idiot!" Hans interrupted as he grabbed Demyx by the coat collar and pulled him along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sid Phillips is from Toy Story. All events set in the world of Toy Story are set after the events of Toy Story 3.


	9. Revenge of the Monsters

Of all the things Regina Mills expected when she entered her office, the sight that greeted her would have never crossed her mind as a possibility. Regina had known a variety of unwelcome guests in her office, such was the cost of running a town full of fairy tale miscreants with a new megalomaniac threatening property values every month. However, the woman waiting for her in her office today was different from all the others, not the least of which being that her intruder was supposed to be dead.

"Mother?" Regina whispered when she saw Cora standing there. "Is that... really you?"

Cora nodded. "Yes, Regina. It is."

"But... how?" Regina asked. "I held you in my arms as you died. No magic can bring back the dead!"

"I think you've learned by now that that particular law of magic is easily broken," Cora answered. "Hook cheated death as well."

"Prove to me that it's really you and not some witch using a glamour spell," Regina ordered. "What was the name of the dance teacher you hired to tutor me as a girl?"

Cora smirked at the question. "A trick question. I taught you to dance myself. I would never have left such an integral part of your education to anyone lesser... for all the good it did. I doubt you retained a single step I taught you."

Regina gasped at that answer. "It is you! How is this possible... I mean... what are you doing here?"

"Do you remember the last thing I said to you... before I died?" Cora asked.

Regina nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "That I would have been enough."

Cora nodded and smiled as she fought back tears herself. "And you are. You _are_."

The two women embraced in a hug that felt like it had been delayed by an entire lifetime. They'd never gotten their chance to be together or to even say good-bye, but now, in this moment, they finally had their chance.

"And I've come to give you a warning," Cora said as she broke free of the hug. "Storybrooke is in terrible danger."

"When is it not?" Regina asked with a sigh. "We just got back from traveling to Scala ad Caelum to cure Neal Cassidy of the Dark One powers and fighting off the original Dark One. It's hard to imagine anything worse than _that_. You don't have to worry about me."

"I'll _always_ worry about you," Cora replied as she brushed a strand of hair out of Regina's face. "I want you to be happy, but it's too dangerous for you to stay here. You need to leave, now!"

"What?" Regina asked. "Mother, what's going on? If something's coming, I need to tell my friends and-"

"Your friends, your family, it's what's holding you back," Cora interrupted. "Sweetheart, you _must_ do what's best for you."

"I _am_ ," Regina insisted.

"No, you're not," Cora replied. "You _need_ to leave town. Take Henry, go find your thief in the Land Without Magic, and build a life together. They won't follow you into a place without magic."

"Mother, I can't," Regina said.

"You _must_ ," Cora countered. "I know it's hard to... to put aside all suspicion after how I raised you, but Regina, you _know_ it took me too long to realize that you were enough. Don't make the same mistake. Go!"

"What... _is_ coming that has you so concerned?" Regina asked as she backed away from Cora.

Cora paused for a moment and locked eyes with her daughter, hoping and praying that Regina could see the severity of concern in her eyes.

"The people who brought me back," Cora answered. "The Overtakers. I know you've fought them before. They've overthrown the gods of Olympus, and now they're coming for revenge against all who have crossed them. Rumplestilskin, Emma, Snow... they've all sealed their fate. The Overtakers will show them no mercy, but you can still get away. I can only buy you so much good will, before-"

A flash of magic in the middle of the office interrupted Cora. She positioned herself between Regina and the teleportation spell as Amora and Russell manifested. Russell was looking positively giddy and vindicated whilst Amora looked frustrated and inconvenienced.

"Well now, look who was completely unworthy of our trust," Russell remarked.

"Mr. Edgington, I can explain," Cora began. "I had only meant to-"

"Be silent, traitor," Amora interrupted. "All those sweet remarks you made about me being the daughter you always wanted were nothing but lies."

"Amora, please," Cora replied. "I still think of you as-"

"Do not!" Amora commanded as Cora became frozen in place behind a green aura.

"MOTHER!" Regina cried out as she summoned a fireball to her hand. "Let her go!"

Amora sneered at Regina. "You are the daughter she chose? With those split ends? Hmph!"

Amora vanished into a Corridor of Darkness, and Cora vanished along with her, leaving Regina alone with Russell.

"Give her back!" Regina ordered.

"Sorry, darlin', but that'll be a no," Russell said. "Your mommy belongs to us. Now, normally this is the part where I'd kill you and be done with it, but my associates have plans for this town and you're a person of interest. So I'm gonna need you to forget this ever happened."

A strange hissing rang in Regina's ears as she locked eyes with Russell. She found herself unable to turn away as Russell began to glamour her.

"You came into your office today to find no one," Russell said. "You will remember nothin' of me, of Amora, or your mommy dearest bein' here. Your mother is still dead. The Overtakers sure as Hell ain't comin', as far as you know. You just worry your pretty little head over the usual things and pretend all this never happened."

As Russell vanished from the room, Regina returned to her senses as if no time had passed at all between her entering the office and her walking across the room. Regina had a seat and began to rifle through her drawers. Still, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something....

* * *

Amidst a flurry of green fire, Maleficent, Trakeena, and Sid Phillips materialized in the middle of the red-hued industrial wasteland nestled in the shadow of Zurg's palace, an immense tower monogrammed with an equally immense Z.

"I see subtlety isn't exactly something these game designers had in mind," Trakeena quipped as she studied the tower.

"I'm not even gonna touch that," Sid said as he mused to himself how all of the Overtakers he'd seen so far lacked subtlety.

"We should not dally," Maleficent said as she studied the tower. "I would not have Pete and Kieran left on guard duty for long. Tell me more of the villains who reside in this fortress."

"Zurg is a powerful evil emperor with dark powers, heavy weaponry, and an army of robots under his command," Sid explained. "He's pure evil and exactly the type of guy you want for your team. He's also got a couple henchmen who might be useful for us too."

"Very good," Maleficent nodded. "Lead the way."

Sid led the two villainesses up through Zurg's tower into a large mechanized throne room with catwalks passing over working stations for Zurg's various freakish minions. Zurg was sitting on his throne as another man in a purple and red space suit stood before him loyally.

"Ah, Darkmatter, you have returned," Zurg bellowed at his subordinate. "I crave good news! Did you attack the freighter?"

"Yes, Evil Emperor Zurg," Warp Darkmatter replied.

"And did Buzz Lightyear rush to the rescue?" Zurg asked.

"Uh, yes," Warp answered

"Um... hello!" Trakeena said, waving coyly at Zurg and Warp.

"And was Lightyear victorious?" Zurg asked, continuing as if he hadn't even heard Trakeena.

"Why is he ignoring us?" Trakeena asked as Zurg and Warp continued their conversation.

"It's a pre-recorded cutscene," Sid answered. "Those two are just lights and pixels."

"The power should work on them all the same," Maleficent said. "Is the spare worth acquiring as well?"

"Warp Darkmatter?" Sid asked. "Yeah, he's a badass. Tough as Hell boss battle too... uh... not that I'm some dweeb who knows shit about video games or anything."

"Focus your powers on them and will the darkness to bring them to life," Maleficent instructed.

Sid took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind. He summoned up the feeling from before. It had been freeing had it not? He tapped into his feelings, his memories, and he let the fear of feeling those feelings again carry him forward. The darkness set those feelings free, and soon Zurg and Warp were both engulfed by the same green mist that had radiated from Sid.

"In case you didn't notice, that box does some amazing stuff," Warp said. "Maybe I could use a box like that."

"Darkmatter, it's a box of doom," Zurg replied. "It's not for you. FOR YOU SEE, IT- Umm, wait a sec. I'm sorry, who are these intruders in my palace?"

Warp turned around and the metal hand attached to his robotic arm switched out into a cannon. "Whoever they are, they're about to eat laser!"

"Oh please, like we evil space overlords actually talk like that," Trakeena said with a roll of her eyes.

Warp fired a blast of laser at Maleficent, but Maleficent simply dispelled the blast with her magic.

"WHAT?" Warp asked with a gasp.

"Hmm, didn't see that coming," Zurg mused.

"Emperor Zurg, I am Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil," she bellowed.

"Oooh, fancy title, alright, stand down, Darkmatter, I wanna hear this," Zurg announced.

"What? She breaks into your palace and you wanna just hear her out?" Warp asked. "Have you blown a circuit?"

"You, shush," Zurg ordered before turning back to Maleficent. "You, keep talking."

"Thank you," Maleficent nodded. "You, my dear Emperor, are but a figment of this constricted world of data. You have been given a chance at real life thanks to the generosity of dear Sid here. It is to him whom you owe your very existence."

Zurg and Warp both looked at Maleficent and then back at Sid.

"Alright... Good to know," Zurg said. "My Hornets are going to destroy you now, 'kay?"

"No, wait, my emperor," Sid interjected. "This... this is a prison that Star Command created. The LGMs made it so that you would be trapped in an illusion of your own past, forced to constantly repeat the same events over and over again. We're here from the outside world to set you free."

"THOSE PESKY RANGERS!" Zurg growled. "I'LL VAPORIZE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"

"Count me in," Warp agreed. "Buzzy boy's gotta go."

"Fortunately, Star Command was destroyed years ago," Sid explained. "Buzz Lightyear was said to perish along with it."

"WHAT? Lightyear's... dead?" Warp asked, feeling a variety of conflicting emotions over the news.

"CURSE YOU BUZZ LIGHTYEAR FOR DYING AND NOT LETTING ME DESTROY YOU!!!" Zurg shouted at the ceiling.

"Are you done yet?" Trakeena asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, I think that'll do it," Zurg shrugged.

"Unbelievable," Trakeena said. "This is what passes for an evil emperor in this world? I could obliterate this fool's empire in a microsecond with the Scorpion Stinger."

"Nuh-uh!" Zurg insisted.

"Yes I could," Trakeena replied. "Because I'm not a pompous blowhard."

"Yeah, well, I know you are but what am I?" Zurg countered.

"Enough of this," Maleficent ordered.

"There's still a great big galaxy out there to conquer," Sid said. "These guys here are out to conquer it, and they could use your expertise to help them out."

"Oh very well, I'll show 'em how to do it!" Zurg declared.

"As long as I get a nice paycheck, I'm in," Warp seconded.

"Ooh! Ooh! But first, I have a deliciously _EVIL_ addition to the team to get," Zurg declared. "After all, Darkmatter and I were just talking about his box."

Zurg cackled wickedly and dramatically with his arms outstretched towards the ceiling.

Trakeena scrunched up her nose at the laughter. "Is he going to tell us who we're getting or are we just supposed to wait for him to stop laughing?"

* * *

In the center of the Star Command science bay, a blue force field kept a black coffin-like box under lock and key. The box sparked with red lightning and opened slowly and dramatically as fog billowed out of it. Then, as slow and dramatic as the coffin itself, a figure rose from within: a triangular robot dressed in a large, billowing cape. The robot grinned and hissed once it was free of the box.

"Hear me, little one," the robot called out to another robot across the room. "NOS-4-A2 calls to you."

NOS-4-A2 began to glow green as he was irradiated by darkness, and he suddenly had a will of his own and an awareness of someone lingering behind him.

"Trust me, I've played this level," Sid said. "That's not gonna work out for you in the end."

"Who are you?" NOS-4-A2 asked suspiciously before noticing Sid's other four allies. "Evil Emperor Zurg. What is the meaning of this? I was programmed to destroy Star Command. Why have you interfered?"

"Change of plans, NOSy," Zurg announced. "Star Command, as it turns out, is no more. This area is nothing more than a digital prison that our enemies created to trap us in memories of our past!"

"A digital prison, is it?" NOS-4-A2 asked before spreading out his red batlike wings. "Mmm, yes, I ca feel it! It IS just ENERGY!"

NOS-4-A2's entire body sparked with lightning as the area around him blurred and the pixels composing the video game were consumed, leaving only blackness. The energy field holding him back was gone, as was the black box itself.

"Okay, now _that_ is somebody we need," Trakeena chimed in.

"Be careful," Maleficent warned. "Too much of that, and we'll all be trapped in a prison of nothingness."

"Very well," NOS-4-A2 said as he stopped consuming the energy surrounding him. "And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

"Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil, and the commander of the Overtakers," she introduced herself. "Zurg has already agreed to ally himself with my cause, and he indicated that you would be interested in joining as well."

NOS-4-A2 scratched his chin in contemplation before nodding. "I suppose there's little left for me to do here."

Zurg laughed wickedly. "TEAM ZURG RIDES AGAIN!"

"Actually, it's Team Sid," Sid asserted. "You three belong to _me!_ "

"Oh please, don't make me laugh," Zurg sneered. "You're nothing but a human!"

"A human who set all three of you free and vouched for you in the first place," Sid reminded them. "You owe me big time."

Warp scoffed. "And we're oh so very appreciative, but now that we are free, there's just one tiny question..." Warp's arm cannon was pointed threateningly at Sid. "Why exactly should you lead us?"

Maleficent and Trakeena smiled and watched, not interfering. Sid gulped. He knew he'd get no help for them. As far as Maleficent was concerned, this was his audition to prove that he was Overtaker material. He had to make it count. Sid put on a fierce poker face and knocked Warp's arm out of his way.

"Because _I_ strapped Buzz Lightyear to a rocket and blasted him across the cosmos," Sid boasted. "None of you ever got that far, did you?"

Zurg, Warp, and NOS-4-A2 all exchanged a nervous glance, and Warp put his weapon away.

"Sorry chief," Zurg apologized. "I never meant to ruffle your feathers. Of course we'll follow your lead!"

"Indeed so," NOS-4-A2 agreed. "Smashing work, by the way. My programming contains much data about Buzz Lightyear. Zurg certainly believed him to be a force to be reckoned with... then again, I always figured Zurg overestimated the space ranger."

"Oh please, you don't know how ANNOYING he is!" Zurg bellowed. "Trust me, Buzz Lightyear was the most grating meddlesome thing in the whole UNIVERSE!"

Maleficent held her skeleton key aloft as it began to glow with dark magic.

"There it is, just what I've waited for," Maleficent announced with a grin.

"Is that supposed to do that?" Zurg asked.

"Yes," Maleficent nodded. "I now hold the key to controlling the path to this world... and even beyond."

Warp cringed at that addition. "Yikes. Triggered."

"Now then, assuming that my associates have achieved their part of the plan...," Maleficent began.

She waved her hand and a Corridor of Darkness opened for the six villains to proceed through.

"... It is time to enact the coup de gras."

* * *

"Which way to the vault again, Neo?" Roman asked with a groan as they went down a hallway that looked exactly like the last. "I feel like we've been going in circles in this stupid school for _hours_."

"It's only been fifteen minutes, Torchwick," Snatcher pointed out.

"HOURS inside of Atlas Academy and not one sign or indication of where this stupid vault is," Roman complained loudly, ignoring Snatcher's remark.

"Has he always been this way?" Snatcher asked.

Neo rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Of course he has," Snatcher grumbled before speaking up. "Right, well, the vault must be 'round here somewhere, it must. Only a matter of finding it. Why if this academy hadn't been deserted, I could have talked our way right into it."

"Ignoring the fact that this is Atlas, and they're more likely to arrest you for jaywalking than hearing you out," Roman said as he lit himself a cigarette. "Everything's all structure, and, of course, every hall looks exactly uniform and the same. Man, fuck the police, and fuck an entire country run by them."

Neo started to jump up and down, holding a finger to her mouth as she pointed insistently down the hall.

"Someone's coming," Snatcher whispered. "Neo, scout on ahead for the vault. We'll handle this matter, we will."

Neo nodded and skipped merrily onward in the opposite direction from the noise.

"I'm just saying, we've been wandering these halls for HOURS looking for those guys," a voice whined.

"Dem, it's only been fifteen minutes," Hans insisted as he and Demyx rounded the corner.

"Ah! It's you!" Demyx said as he and Hans stopped in their tracks upon seeing Snatcher and Roman.

"Gentlemen, fine evening, isn't it?" Snatcher said, attempting to sound as cordial as possible. "Why I dare say this school is among the finest of-"

"Archie, forget the honey," Roman said. "I'm public enemy number one on this world, remember? We've got no cover to blow."

"I see we found the ugly hats brigade," Hans remarked as he glanced at Roman's bowler hat and then drifted his gaze to Snatcher's red top hat.

"I'll have you know, good sir, that I once held in my own two hands a genuine _white_ hat," Snatcher boasted. "And you've no hat at all to speak of. So I'd think very carefully, were I you, about just how you wished to proceed."

"Ugh, he's worse than Watts," Demyx complained.

"I'll have you know, Mr. Snatcher, that I am Prince Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles," Hans replied. "I am royalty, and I am also an Overtaker, an ally of Maleficent, here to execute your judgment for aiding one of her excellency's enemies."

Snatcher huffed. "Well, Prince Westergaard, I've half a-"

"Wait, did you actually just concede giving his royal title to him?" Roman interrupted. "Archie, this little bitch, works for _Maleficent_. He doesn't _get_ honorifics."

"Quite right, an old compulsion of mine, I fear," Snatcher replied. "I was raised to show respect even to those who do not deserve it. However, MISTER Hans, here, shall get none from me today."

Hans rolled his eyes. "I see my father's statement that the peasants were revolting had more than one meaning."

"Can we just get this over with already?" Demyx groaned. "I'm bored and want to just go take a nap."

"You are just the incarnation of _apathy_ , aren't you?" Hans asked with a sigh.

That phrasing seemed to cause Roman to bristle. "Okay, I officially _hate_ both of you."

"What'd I do?" Demyx whined.

"Besides working for our hated rival and standing in our way?" Snatcher asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're just the type of lazy brat back home who sat around complacent and just let the status quo keep on status quoing, no matter who took the hit."

Demyx's expression darkened, and his tone of voice dropped. "Silence, peasant."

Even Hans seemed taken off guard by Demyx's sudden change in demeanor. Roman started to tell Demyx off, but he found himself struck speechless by the streaks of water rising from the ground, as if it were raining in reverse. When Hans realized that Demyx was the one responsible, he grinned smugly.

"Y'know, I've been searching my whole life to find a show stopper like this," Hans said as he gestured dramatically towards Demyx.

Demyx extended his arms, and a massive wave of water bowled over the couple. Both of them went tumbling, and the water slowly dispersed and drained from the halls, leaving only a thin layer on the ground. A sitar manifested in Demyx's hands from a bubble of water that remained.

"Impertinence! Blatant disrespect!" Snatcher sputtered angrily as he tried to get back to his feet without slipping.

"You needed a shower anyway," Hans teased. "I could smell you from here."

"THAT is fucking IT!" Roman yelled. "You know what _that_ fucking _is?_ IT!"

"Hey, watch this," Demyx said as he stifled a laugh.

Demyx strummed a few chords on his sitar, and, as he did, geysers of water erupted from direction beneath Roman and Snatcher's feet, propelling the two into the air ungracefully. Roman, however, had just enough time to aim his cane, the Melodic Cudgel, and fire a shot at Demyx. The ice dust struck the sitar and engulfed it in a block of ice.

"Hey! No fair!" Demyx whined.

Roman and Snatcher both landed as gracefully as they could when they returned to the ground.

"I do believe now is the time to use Madam Mim's spell she cooked up for us," Snatcher declared.

Roman grinned. "And you said we wouldn't need to shrink one down."

"I am a big enough man to admit when my judgment was flawed," Snatcher replied.

Hans scoffed. "You're also a big enough man to take up two seats on a carriage."

"You say that now," Roman said, "but I bet you weren't expecting... THIS!"

Roman whipped out what appeared to be an action figure of a robotic suit. Hans and Demyx simply laughed at the sight of it.

"Am I supposed to be afraid of a toy?" Demyx asked. "Hate to break it to you, Roman, but toys are harmless."

(Across the Etherium, Sid Phillips bristled at that remark.)

Roman and Snatcher exchanged a sinister glance but said nothing to their opponents. Snatcher produced a handful of pink powder from his coat pocket.

"I do believe the words were...,"Snatcher began. "HOCKETY-POCKETY WOCKETY WHACK!"

Snatcher released the magic powder onto the action figure, and, suddenly, the entire hallway was obscured by pink smoke. Hans and Demyx backed up closer to one another, uncertain as to what Roman and Snatcher had up their sleeves. The sound of heavy footsteps made the two Overtakers' hearts pound, and, as the smoke cleared, a giant mech suit towered over them.

"Now this... this is gonna be fun," Roman's voiced taunted from inside the paladin's cockpit.

"My dear Torchwick, you took the words right out of my mouth," Snatcher chuckled from Roman's side.

Demyx attempted to break his sitar free of the ice, knowing full and well that it was the only weapon they had capable of standing up to the paladin. Roman and Snatcher knew it too. The paladin swung its arm towards the frozen sitar. The ice shattered and the sitar shattered with it, its fragments knocking Demyx to the ground. Hans held up his sword defiantly at the mech, but that only seemed to make Roman and Snatcher laugh.

"It's the little things that bring me joy," Snatcher said with a laugh as he pushed the big red button on the control panel.

The hatches on the paladin's shoulders opened, and a dozen dust missiles were launched for Hans. Hans ran as fast as he could and dove for cover as the fiery inferno exploded around him. Demyx doused the flames with as much water magic as he could muster without his sitar, and the entire area became filled with steam and smoke as a result. Roman activated the paladin's laser targeting system to scan the area.

"Now where did those little pests run off to?" Roman pondered.

Demyx ducked down next to Hans behind a hunk of debris dislodged by the explosion.

"So I think now is the time that we embrace my favorite tactic of run running away," Demyx suggested.

"No," Hans insisted. "We _have_ to defeat them, or we can kiss our place in the Overtakers good-bye."

"But look at them!" Demyx urged. "They've got a giant robot suit, and we've got a sword and maybe a few more water spells."

"COME OUT, COME OUT!" Snatcher bellowed loudly.

Hans scanned the surrounding area. The fight had managed to take them adjacent to a large open foyer with a heavy chandelier hung from the ceiling. Hans's hand drifted to the miniature crossbow worn at his hip. He hadn't thought it capable of taking down the entire mech, but his mind drifted back to the battle in Elsa's ice palace. It would only take one clean shot to bring the chandelier down. He just had to get the paladin in just the right position....

"I have a plan," Hans announced. "I just need you to distract that thing and lure it under the chandelier."

"Are you _crazy?_ " Demyx asked. "You want me to be BAIT? Uh-uh, no way. I am no one's bait."

" _You_ can actually teleport away with a Corridor of Darkness," Hans pointed out. "And the fact that you haven't done that yet tells me that you want to win this fight as badly as I do. Lure the two idiots under the chandelier, and I'll do the rest."

Demyx scratched his chin. "Actually, I just might have one more trick up my sleeve...."

When Roman and Snatcher spotted movement amongst the mist, they shot right away. Their shot connected, but no one cried out in pain. A second movement amongst the mist caused them to fire another shot. This time, they could see their target fading into nothingness. As the mist began to clear, the two men saw that the source of the movement was a gaggle of Dancer Nobodies prancing around the floor.

"What are these inhuman beasts?" Snatcher asked with a scowl.

"Overtaker henchmen," Roman answered. "Stay alert!"

The paladin fired upon the Dancer Nobodies, and each one disintegrated into nothingness upon being shot. After a minute, there were none left in sight.

"Yoohoo! Oh boys!" Demyx called out as he waved coyly at the paladin from across the room.

"SHOOT THAT LITTLE BITCH!" Roman called out.

"We're all out of ammo," Snatcher said. "We used it all up on the inhuman pests."

Roman gritted his teeth. "Yeah, well we can still CRUSH his ass."

Roman pushed the steering levers all the way forward and the paladin began to run across the room towards Demyx. It made it about halfway when Hans fired the crossbow, and the chandelier came tumbling down onto the paladin, crushing it into the ground.

"Ha HA! YES! WE DID IT!" Hans declared as he ran over to Demyx's side.

"Yeah, we did!" Demyx said. "I might need to change my underpants, though."

The emergency hatch opened up, and Roman and Snatcher rolled out of the destroy mech suit looking slightly worse for wear.

"Why does this always happen to me right after I get this coat dry-cleaned?" Roman bemoaned as he tried to rid himself of a rather prominent smudge on his jacket.

"Don't worry, man, _I_ can take you to the cleaners!" Demyx said with a mischievous grin.

Demyx summoned a water spell and hurled it at his two opponents. However, something dropped from up above, and the water bounced harmlessly off of the surface of an umbrella. The pink parasol was lifted up to reveal Neo, standing protectively in front of her allies. Hans scoffed when he saw that she still wore a black bowler hat, and he immediately made the connection as to why.

"No offense," Hans said. "But that is the third ugliest hat I've seen today."

"He's a hater," Roman explained when Neo shot him a confused look.

"I do believe it's time we cut our losses," Snatcher declared. "Lord Mozenrath can make due with another mystical artifact."

Hans drew his sword and rushed towards them angrily.

"Oh no you don't!" Hans growled.

He swung his sword, bringing it down on Neo's parasol. However, rather than it cutting through the sheer fabric and connecting with flesh, the sword seemed to cause Neo, Roman, and Snatcher all to shatter into a thousand pieces right before Hans's eyes.

"Wait... did you do that?" Demyx asked, stifling a giggle.

"I mean... I've shattered swords before," Hans admitted, "but this...."

"Is new levels of shattering," Demyx interrupted with a laugh.

Hans found himself swept away by his ally's humor and smiled. "I suppose I missed my calling as a demolition man."

* * *

"There is a great darkness here," Loki remarked as the trio approached the ruins of a large estate.

"The perfect place to hide a princess capable of destroying gods," Doom concluded. "What _was_ this place?"

"I don't know," Watts admitted. "Some memory of a past better left forgotten, I assume."

"My magic will conceal us from the Grimm," Loki announced as a green energy washed over the group.

"Yes, but _do_ still be careful," Watts warned. "Salem has far more than Grimm at her disposal."

The three villains proceeded into the ruins of the estate, glancing casually at the charred remains of a portrait of a mother, father, and four little girls. What became of the happy family was a question that none of the three knew the answer to or cared to discover. They proceed into the crumbling Great Hall of the chateau, and, sure enough, Rapunzel sat chained to the hearth.

"Nice of Salem to leave her gift-wrapped for us," Loki quipped as he approached the hearth.

"Wait, this is far too easy," Watts warned. "She wouldn't have left the princess unguarded."

Doom's scanners, however, had already picked up the movement. He fired a blast of energy into the rafters. The figure hiding up in them flipped out of the way with a maniacal cackle and dropped down in between the Overtakers and Rapunzel. The figure looked up at them with twisted eyes and his metal scorpion tail pointed at them menacingly.

"Naughty naughty, doctor," Tyrian Callows scolded, "Why, bringing outsiders into Her Grace's holy shrine... One would almost think you'd turned away from the light of our Goddess."

"Little bug, your goddess is a lesser deity," Loki warned. "I am Loki, the God of Mischief, and you shall have _no_ other gods before _ME!_ "

"Blasphemy!" Tyrian spat, his tone shifting from coy and playful to furious. "You aren't fit to lick the ground beneath Her feet!"

"I believe I'll leave the boot-licking to you, dear bug," Loki replied. "But that princess belongs to me, and I shall burn your very heart to get her if that is what it will require."

"You're hopelessly outmatched against our power," Doom boasted. "Abandon your fool's errand assignment and be spared."

"I'd listen to him were I you, Tyrian," Watts said.

"Oh I shall enjoy cutting your treasonous throat in tribute to Her Grace, doctor," Tyrian said with a sadistic grin. "There's _nothing_ I love more than eliminating traitors from our ranks."

"And there's nothing _I_ enjoy more than forcing mortal fools to _kneel_ before a true god," Loki hissed in retaliation.

Tyrian gritted his teeth and prepared to launch himself at his opponents when a beam of brilliant golden light descended from up above. Tyrian growled and flipped out of the way. Loki, Doom, and Watts recoiled from the light, and Doom shielded his companions with his cloak. When the brightness faded, the four villains looked angrily upon the source of the light. There, standing beside Rapunzel and dressed in his sorcerer ensemble, stood Mickey Mouse.

"And so the apprentice has supplanted his master," Doom said with a scoff.

"I'll _never_ replace Master Yen Sid," Mickey replied. "But his powers can still help light the way."

"How touching," Loki sneered. "And what has brought the rat here? We've hardly any cheese to offer."

"I'm takin' Rapunzel back to her family!" Mickey said firmly. "And then I'm gonna come and set things right on Olympus!"

"You may try, but you're as _doomed_ to failure as the other heroes who have stood in our path," Doom threatened.

"I think there's been enough talking," Tyrian shouted as he sprung from the rafters once more, launching himself at Mickey.

Mickey, however, simply gestured with the power of the hat. He willed a brilliant comet of light to collide with Tyrian and to launch the scorpion faunus through the walls and out of the compound. Loki and Doom prepared to engage the king in battle, but Mickey quickly erected a wall of light magic between himself and the villains.

"Curse that rodent!" Doom growled as he attempted to punch the barrier to no avail.

"And who exactly is he?" Watts asked, dumbfounded at this turn of events.

"A meddlesome and sanctimonious king who has long stood in our way," Loki answered. "He fancies himself as a _hero_ bent on saving the worlds from the darkness."

"How dreadful," Watts remarked.

"Loki! Enough dallying!" Doom bellowed. "Let us combine our dark magics. Surely they'll suffice to bring down this wall."

"An excellent idea," Loki said as he joined hands with Doom.

The two villains unleashed a barrage of dark energy that struck the wall of light. The wall held its form but bends and tears started to appear in the energy.

"Gosh! We don't have much time," Mickey said to Rapunzel. "We've gotta get you to safety!"

With two flashes of magic, the chains binding Rapunzel vanished. Mickey joined hands with Rapunzel and smiled. Even though she was still trapped in the darkness, he knew there would be a chance to save her. Doom and Loki shattered the barrier just in time to see Mickey and Rapunzel vanish in a flash of light magic. Doom roared with anger as green energy sparked around his hands.

"We are _done_ here," Doom spat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evil Emperor Zurg, Warp Darkmatter, and NOS-4-A2 are all from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
> 
> Tyrian Callows is from RWBY.


	10. With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

Mickey watched with a grin as Rapunzel and Eugene embraced for the first time in weeks. Her hair was once again cut short and chestnut brown, no longer under the influence of the dark Moonstone's power. Mickey smiled to himself since he'd had something to do with that. Extracting the Moonstone with his magic meant extracting the Sundrop as well, and only together could those two primal forces be returned to the cosmos in which they'd came. Rapunzel would never again be a target of the Overtakers, and that made Mickey feel very proud of himself for helping to make that happen.

Satisfied that his work in Corona was done, Mickey whisked himself up into a comet of light magic and blinked himself back into the Disney Castle library. As he reappeared in the castle, he suddenly felt very tired and started to stumble a bit.

"Whoa!" Mickey said as he grabbed the table to steady himself. "Gosh, guess that took more outta me than I thought."

"King Mickey!" Chip called out as he scurried over.

"You gotta be more careful next time!" Dale scolded.

"Yeah, those sorcerer powers are strong, but you can't keep using them to zip between worlds," Chip explained.

"But it's faster than a Gummi ship," Mickey said as he had a seat. "I can help a lot more folks this way. Don't worry, fellas. I'll be alright!"

"Well, at least pace yourself, okay?" Dale conceded. "Even Yen Sid didn't just go teleporting between worlds multiple times a day."

"Your majesty, we're back!" Donald called out as he and Goofy entered the library.

"Hey fellas!" Mickey said with a grin.

"We got there just in time to help Tarzan outta a pickle," Goofy explained.

"Yeah! The Overtakers poisoned him!" Donald squawked.

"The Overtakers?" Mickey asked. "What were they doin' in Deep Jungle?"

"Well," Donald began. "They were, uhhhhh...."

"We weren't quite sure," Goofy admitted. "Tarzan said they were helpin' Clayton's sister get revenge, but we don't know what they were doin' there in the first place."

"Maleficent's up to somethin'!" Mickey said definitively. "Olympus and Agrabah were just the beginnin'!"

"We'll stop 'em!" Donald declared as he held his staff aloft proudly.

"Oh! Right! Did ya manage to rescue Rapunzel, your majesty?" Goofy asked.

"Yup!," Mickey nodded. "Got her back safe and sound, and not a moment too soon! My light shield was able to hold off Loki and Doom just long enough for me to get her outta there."

"Your magic is gettin' really strong!" Donald declared. "The hat's workin' great!"

"It is!" Mickey said before letting out a sorrowful sigh. "If only I'd finished training with Merlin on how to use it in time to help Sora and Riku...."

"Now Mickey, don't you go frownin' now," Goofy said as he wagged his finger. "We're gonna get Sora and Riku back! We just gotta believe in ourselves, that's all."

Mickey grinned. "You're right about that! We can't let the darkness grab ahold of us! We just gotta keep lookin' for that light."

"Yeah!" Donald agreed. "But, uh, there's a lot of Overtakers now. How are we gonna beat 'em all?"

"We've just gotta trust _our_ friends," Mickey said. "There's lots of folks out there willing to stand up against the darkness. We've just gotta bring 'em together."

"And there ain't nothin' the three of us can't do if we work together!" Goofy declared.

"All for one, and one for all!" Donald squawked.

Mickey smiled warmly. "Gosh, I sure am lucky havin' pals like you."

* * *

Maleficent grinned devilishly as Hades and Grimhilde handed her their skeleton keys. "I am quite fortuitous to have allies of your caliber."

Gathered around her was a larger group of villains than she'd even began with. She'd tasked eight Overtakers with investigating the worlds connected to Olliewood, and now there were fourteen villains eagerly watching her every move as they gathered around the large sundial in the middle of Olliewood. Hades and Grimhilde flanked her to either side with Cruella and Pete lingering by Grimhilde. Jafar and Hook stood with Scar, who seemed to be locked in a stare down with Lady Waltham. Sid Phillips and Kieran Wilcox stood together in front of Warp Darkmatter and NOS-4-A2, whilst Trakeena and Zurg stood close to each other but with just enough distance between them to maintain the illusion that they couldn't stand one another.

"Now, the power we seek is at hand!" Maleficent declared as she forged the three keys together.

The black skeleton keys began to twist and contort at the bidding of Maleficent's black magic until they took the form of a metallic raven hovering in front of the evil fairy.

"This is some weird shit," Sid whispered to Kieran.

"You get used to it after a while," Kieran replied.

Maleficent stretched out her arms and the metal bird let out an ear-piercing shriek. Directly in front of the raven, a new portal opened, one that looked quite unlike any of the ones the others had seen. Maleficent held out a hand and allowed the metal raven to perch on her wrist as she lifted it up to rest on her shoulder.

"Exactly as I'd hoped," Maleficent said with a grin.

"YES! VICTORY! HA-HA!" Hades boasted triumphantly. "...What exactly is it?"

"A portal to a new world," Maleficent explained, "one previously beyond our reach."

"That is somethin' HUGE, Maleficent!" Pete said with a chuckle.

"Indeed," Maleficent nodded.

Maleficent's fingers glittered green with magic as she stroked the back of the raven. As she did, the bird let out another shriek, closing the portal.

"Wait, we're not goin' through the portal?" Pete asked with a perplexed look that he shared with most of the other Overtakers present.

"All in good time," Maleficent replied. "One does not simply bound head first into the unknown. We shall conduct a thorough investigation but on our own terms. For now, let us return to the Eminence Palace. I'm certain our new allies would like an opportunity to acclimate themselves to their new reality."

"Yeah, and have a beer or six," Sid remarked, earning a laugh from Kieran.

* * *

Immediately upon returning to the Eminence Palace, Russell requested to speak with Maleficent in private. Never one to delay important matters, Maleficent granted her associate's request at once. She arrived in the dungeons to find that Russell and Steve were already there waiting. A small barred window carved into a wooden door was the only way to glimpse into the cell where Cora was currently chained. A special enchantment prevented sound from passing the threshold, allowing the three Overtakers to speak with no fear of their prisoner hearing as Russell explained in detail what had happened.

"I took care of damage control after we brought her in," Russell said. "She only contacted Regina, and I glamoured the memories away before Regina could tell anybody."

"You're quite certain she contacted no others?" Maleficent asked.

"My wolves trailed her for days before she contacted Regina," Russell said. "As far as I know, we're in the clear from any negative side effects of her betrayal."

"She betrayed us because of her heart," Steve pointed out. "What if we just removed it again? Let her be the villain she once was."

"She has violated my trust and thus cannot be permitted to remain alive," Maleficent said definitively.

"But your excellency," Steve began, "she's a powerful sorceress. To waste so much magical potential would be-"

"You speak as though her powers are in any way comparable to my own," Maleficent interrupted. "I've little need for the magic of a traitor. She's naught but a liability at this point."

"How do you wanna do it?" Russell asked. "'Off with her head' would be a delightfully cruel irony; make Skurge start earnin' his keep around here. _Or_ maybe we rip out her heart and crush it in front of her. There'd be some justice in that, I'd think."

"No, nothing so crude or karmic," Maleficent said. "To kill Cora would be to subject ourselves to the possibility of one of our enemies resurrecting her to use against us. We must be smarter than that fool Winifred when she murdered Davy Jones and jeopardized us all in the process."

"What'd you have in mind?" Steve asked, a puzzled look on his face.

Maleficent didn't even turn to face him. "You two may go. I will handle this matter personally."

Russell shrugged and wrapped his arm around Steve. Steve seemed a bit concerned with what Maleficent meant, but Russell ushered him out of the dungeons without saying a word. If there was one thing Russell had learned regarding his friend and leader, it was that she loathed being disturbed if she'd requested solitude. Maleficent transformed into a green wisp and flew into Cora's cell, resuming humanoid form directly in front of the witch.

Cora tried to mask her surprise behind a scoff. "And here I thought I was meant for the headsman's axe. I am honored to have the Mistress of All Evil herself visit me in my lonely cell."

Maleficent wordlessly rapped her staff against the stone floor. Amidst a swirl of green magic, a black spinning wheel materialized in the cell.

"I see," Cora said solemnly.

"I can hypnotize you into obeying my command or you can retain your dignity and touch the spindle yourself," Maleficent explained.

Cora swallowed hard but nodded. "Of course. I know when to resign myself to my fate. Better to end it myself than to have my will ripped from my mind."

Cora slowly walked over to the spinning wheel and extended her index finger. It didn't take much force at all to prick her finger against the sharp point of the spindle. The effects were instantaneous. Cora crumbled to the floor of her cell, sprawled out in as ungraceful a position as Princess Aurora had found herself in.

"Such a pity," Maleficent mused to herself as she stepped over Cora's body and vanished from the cell.

* * *

"I smell a child!" Mary Sanderson said with a giggle as she approached Kieran and Sid as they walked down the corridors.

"Beat it you wretched old hag," Kieran said as he held out his knife menacingly.

Mary barked at the two but ultimately backed off.

"She seems... weird," Sid said.

"Yeah, they all are in their own ways," Kieran said. "It's actually really nice having someone my age around. Well... someone my age who isn't that cunt, Audrey."

"I take it you're not a fan of her?" Sid asked with a smirk.

"She's a stuck up, spoiled princess like my ex-girlfriend Emma and her bitchy best friend Brooke," Kieran explained, "and she has the same name as the piece of trash who followed my ex around like a puppy. She was basically everything I hate put into a blender. Piper would have been sick to her stomach having to work with Audrey."

"Who's Piper?" Sid asked.

"The love of my life," Kieran said as his voice quivered a bit. "Emma and Audrey (the trash not the cunt) killed her... shot her on the same pier where Piper lost her father."

"That's rough," Sid said with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Ever since they'd met, Sid had been getting some flirtatious vibes from Kieran, but hearing that Kieran had a dead woman who was the love of his life squashed any hopes of that becoming anything. Still, despite how deranged Kieran was, Sid couldn't deny that it was nice to have someone his age already in the Overtakers, even just as a friend.

"Here, there's someone I want you to meet," Kieran said as he escorted Sid into a moderately sized chamber decorated with purple sequins and a large aquarium that cast the entire room in a blue light.

Fish Mooney sat on a loveseat across the room and was intensely focused on painting her nails a shade of purple that matched her outfit and the room's décor.

" _This_ is the one and only Fish Mooney," Kieran said as he escorted his friend over to meet her.

Fish glanced up from her nails and flashed the two boys a big smile. "Kieran! How was the excursion with Maleficent?"

"Good," Kieran said. "I almost got to stab somebody"

Kieran clapped Sid on the back as he and Fish laughed. Sid awkwardly laughed along, unsure of what to make of this exchange.

"Mom, this is Sid," Kieran said after a minute. "He's our new recruit. Maleficent thinks he has great potential for darkness."

"This is your mom?" Sid asked, looking slightly confused between the two.

"What, you don't see the family resemblance?" Fish asked with a wink. "Not a mother by blood but by circumstance. I saved Kieran from prison and took him under my wing."

"She's sort of the mom of the Overtakers," Kieran pointed out.

"Just call me mother," Fish said with a light laugh. "You got family back home, Sid?"

Sid frowned at that question. "Just a deadbeat drunk of a dad. My mom died when I was little, and my stepmom and stepsister bailed on us."

"That's terrible," Fish said with a shake of her head. "Let me tell you something, Sid, you've got a family now. There's no truer family than a group of people who are all they've got and stand up and fight together. That's what the Overtakers are: a family. And now we've all got your back."

"Thanks," Sid replied with a smile.

He'd heard that spiel from gangs who'd wanted to recruit him back home, but it never truly felt genuine. Sid had always been convinced that no gang could replace the family he'd missed out on. Yet Fish Mooney had a power to her very presence that sold Sid on what she was saying. For the first time, he genuinely did believe that he'd found a family, this time with the biggest and wackiest gang imaginable.

* * *

Doctor Doom led a group consisting of Watts, Grimhilde, and the Green Goblin up the staircase in the foyer of Hollow Bastion. Watts wasn't sure what to make of the haggard old woman and armor wearing man Doom had brought with them. Doom had insisted that this was to be a meeting of the minds, yet the two new allies seemed more like the type of people Tyrian would find kinship with.

"Maleficent desired this castle for the sake of reclaiming what once was hers," Doom explained. "Yet we have little need for a second castle in a ruined world to house our forces when we've two entire worlds to act as our headquarters."

"Does anyone truly need a reason to have a castle?" Grimhilde asked with a chuckle. "Can there ever truly be enough castles?"

"Technically speaking, if there were infinite castles, they would cease to have any distinction from the hovels of the lower classes," Watts pointed out.

"Are we about to get to the point here?" the Goblin asked impatiently.

"I am taking it upon myself to restructure this Hollow Bastion as a research and development facility," Doom continued as if his allies hadn't spoken. "Ansem the Wise, this castle's previous occupant, had a fascination with understanding the nature of hearts and experimentation. Thus he left behind a myriad of research equipment that we can now turn to our own uses. You three are the most brilliant scientific minds in the Overtakers aside from Doom, and I would invite your collaboration in advancing the Overtakers' weaponry and understanding of the universe."

"Perhaps you've made a mistake, my friend," Grimhilde spoke up. "My area of expertise lies in magic, not mortal science."

"Magic and science are not so different," Doom explained. "I myself am a master of both science and sorcery. A mind aside from my own that is well attuned to the arcane is an invaluable resource in deepening our understanding of the cosmos, and out of all who are gathered in the Overtakers, you've the keenest mind for magic."

"Something tells me your paramour would not be pleased to hear that," Watts remarked.

"Mmm, a testing facility for _energy_ ," a voice echoed from the rafters. "And a sort I've never seen before. _Lovely_."

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Doom bellowed.

NOS-4-A2 descended from above and hovered in front of the procession.

"And who invited you?" Watts asked with a groan.

"Now, now, doctor, let's not frighten the little bat," the Goblin said with a chuckle. "I rather like his style. Technology meets mythic monsters is very much my aesthetic!"

"Understand that there are consequences for meddling in my affairs," Doom growled.

"Oh dear, it seems I've stuck my fangs where they aren't wanted," NOS-4-A2 said in mock disappointment. "And here I thought being amongst the Overtakers meant finally finding intellectually stimulating friends."

"You were one of the new recruits Maleficent brought back," Grimhilde recalled. "Yes, I remember now."

"NOS-4-A2, energy vampire," he said dramatically as he extended his wings and summoned electricity to crackle around him.

The Green Goblin laughed. "I really _really_ like his style!"

"Are we simply going to ignore that egregious pun?" Watts asked.

"You've earned a moment of my time before I destroy you, NOS-4-A2," Doom warned. "Now tell me, what exactly is an energy vampire?"

"I assume the fact that I consume electrical energy was implicit in the description," NOS-4-A2 replied. "Aside from that, I can totally control any machine that I've bitten, and the dark energies I command can corrupt and create beasts of cybernetic horror the likes of which you've never seen!"

"I must admit I'm rather fascinated by this anti-gravity apparatus," Watts said as he got a closer look at the vampire. "And this metal is a unique alloy that doesn't exist on my world. Marvelous, truly marvelous. Were you created by someone or do you belong to a race that is born this way?"

"Zurg, the blowhard in purple armor who Maleficent also recruited, will tell you that he created me," NOS-4-A2 explained. "Yet _daddy dearest_ isn't exactly the most technically adept of men. His team of minions is responsible for my creation far more than he is. I would _not_ extend him an invitation to this facility were I you. I, on the other hand, have much to offer."

"I suppose a technopath would be an invaluable resource in this project," Doom relented. "Very well, energy vampire, you may consider yourself a part of our team. But know this: do not interfere in my affairs ever again, or you will meet a fate comparable to the final demise of your namesake."

"Understood," NOS-4-A2 said with a bow. "Now then, my good doctor, please do continue the tour. This facility is truly _lovely_."

* * *

"Here is the requisition form for new spears and bows for the troops," one of Maleficent's highest ranking goons said as he placed a scroll in Kingpin's hands.

Kingpin unrolled the scroll and studied it. "The bow-strings are easily filled, but acquiring this much steel is going to require heavy taxes on Sparta at the very least. I can get you half of your request within the month, no more."

The goblin grunted. "Better than nothing. Make sure the other Overtakers know we can't sustain an army without weapons!"

"They shall be made aware," Kingpin assured him. "Now off with you."

"What are you doing now?" Smythe asked with a sigh as he entered the room.

"Securing my new role amongst the Overtakers," Kingpin answered. "As you said, it was necessary that we evolve to stay relevant in the current regime. I have assumed the duties of the quartermaster of the Overtakers. After all, the inherent power and necessity in controlling the supplies of our empire is one that ensures that the Kingpin remains a vital part of our team."

"You cannot simply declare yourself quartermaster," Smythe said with a sigh.

"And why not?" Kingpin asked. "I declared myself Kingpin long ago. If there is a position that I desire, I shall take it!"

"We functioned before without a formal quartermaster," Smythe pointed out. "How will anyone even know to bring their requisitions to you? You may have gotten to the soldiers but the other Overtakers will not be so easily-"

"Excuse me," Lady Waltham interrupted as she entered the office. "I am looking for the quartermaster. I was told to speak with him regarding my need for a new weapon."

"You have come to the right place," Kingpin said after shooting Smythe an 'I told you so' expression. "Come with me. What exactly would interest you, my dear?"

As Kingpin led Waltham over to a rack of various firearms he'd stocked up on, Smythe couldn't help but laugh a bit under his breath. For all his employer's hare-brained schemes, there was always a certain ingenuity to Kingpin that Smythe couldn't help but admire. At the very least, there was never a dull moment.

* * *

Maleficent placed the metal raven on a perch in the council chamber. She grinned wickedly as it opened for her a new portal to the new world. Gathered in the chamber with her was Hades, Loki, Doom, Russell, Ursula, Fish, Jafar, and Hook. The evil fairy turned to face her companions and spread her arms dramatically.

"My Overtakers," Maleficent said with a grin. "We are poised to cross the threshold into a new world. I have kept the venturing party for this quest limited to those whom I consider to be the _core_ Overtakers, my inner circle."

Loki raised an eyebrow at that. "I beg your pardon, Maleficent. I understand that six of us present here were the founding members and that Jafar followed shortly after and was present in your original council. However, I do have to question by what metric does _Hook_ qualify for such an esteemed ranking."

" _Hey!_ " Hook whined.

"Hook qualifies because I have _said_ as much," Maleficent replied. "I need not explain my decision further. Now, if that is quite all, we should venture forth immediately."

Maleficent stepped through the portal, followed quickly by Hades, Ursula, Fish, and Russell. Hook shuffled after Russell, making a conscious effort not to look Loki's way. Jafar, on the other hand, took the opposite approach and shot Loki a dirty look before he entered the portal. Loki and Doom held back a moment.

"Were Maleficent interested in sins of the flesh, I would suspect something salacious going on there," Loki remarked.

"He has proven himself a loyal and competent ally for our faction time and time again," Doom pointed out.

"A statement that can be made regarding any number of our allies," Loki countered. "Newlin and Grimhilde in particular bare that distinction, yet they have been excluded."

"After colluding with Xigbar, Newlin should count himself blessed not to have met a similar fate to Cora," Doom argued. "And while I agree that Grimhilde would be worthy of the position, I fear her history with Chernabog requires her to be kept at arm's length from delicate matters. Besides, why concern yourself with such trivialities? I had thought you fond of the pirate."

"You should know quite well by now that trivialities are my specialty," Loki said with a smirk. "If there is a detail to be learned, I dare not ignore it... a detail such as you thinking the hag to be a more adept magical mind than me."

Doom cursed under his breath before speaking back up. "We have delayed long enough. The others will be missing us by now."

Doom flounced his cape and proceeded through the portal. Loki merely crossed his arms and smirked.

"I will learn your secret, Maleficent. _That_ you may consider an inevitability."

* * *

The Citadel sparked as blue bolts of magic flew everywhere. All of the Sorcerer's Society ducked to avoid taking a stray blast from their leader's most recent temper tantrum. Roman and Snatcher huddled close to each other for safety.

"You two LOST the Relic of CREATION ITSELF to the OVERTAKERS!" Mozenrath ranted. "Oh, but I forgot, not JUST the Overtakers! Oh no. You two morons lost the Relic to the TWO BIGGEST LOSERS on the Overtakers!"

"Yes, well, Lord Mozenrath," Snatcher quickly said as he and Roman scooted towards the door. "I can see you need time to vent your frustration, and thus we should best take our leave from this-"

The door began to glow blue, and it slammed shut and locked before Roman or Snatcher could reach it.

"Do NOT try to LEAVE WHEN I'M RANTING AT YOU!" Mozenrath screamed. "Maleficent toppled the GODS OF OLYMPUS! Jafar conquered Agrabah, putting him RIGHT AT OUR GATES, and destroyed MY hated enemy who ONLY I was allowed to DESTROY! That staff was my chance to even the playing field, yet HERE I AM, irrelevant again because of YOU!"

"Righty, c'mon, calm down, we can still take another crack at the Relic," Roman assured him.

"Oh let me melt their faces off over a boiling cauldron," Mim said with a gruesome grin cracking onto her face.

"No, no," Mozenrath said as he started to calm down. "Despite recent evidence to the contrary, they're valuable allies who we're going to need going forward."

"I'd put the faces _back_ once I was done," Mim claimed.

"If I may make a suggestion," Yzma purred before whispering in Mozenrath's ear.

Mozenrath smiled deviously at that. "I like the way you think."

Mozenrath's gauntlet flashed with blue energy, and Roman and Snatcher's clothes became replaced with servants' rags. In their hands, a mop and bucket of water materialized.

"I want this entire palace spotless," Mozenrath ordered. "I want this to feel like a brand new lair, fresh and ready for our next scheme. Oh and just because the Mamlucks are dead doesn't mean I have to keep smelling their pungent stench!"

"Cleaning? Really?" Roman asked. "Gotta say, I think I'd rather be tortured."

"I know, I love it!" Mozenrath replied with a laugh.

"That still leaves us with the matter of the Overtakers," the Huntsman interjected. "As you said, we are outmanned and outgunned. You mentioned once before that even Jafar feared your master Destane. Perhaps you would reconsider-"

"NO!" Mozenrath shouted. "Absoutely out of the question. Destane would stab us in the back sooner than he'd help us."

"Though that still leaves us in the unfortunate predicament of not being powerful enough to cross Maleficent directly," Yzma pointed out. "OH! I KNOW! We'll turn Maleficent's raven into a capybara. She'll be so confused and disgusted that she'll cast the raven out and begin to accuse her own allies of the transformation. Meanwhile the raven will be sad, and we'll find the raven with the antidote. We'll give the raven the antidote, and he'll be so grateful, he'll tell us all Maleficent's weaknesses. And THEN we'll start posting those weaknesses all over the internet using anonymous accounts, which will make her-"

"None of us speak raven," Miratrix interjected. "How would we know what the raven was telling us in the first place?"

Yzma paused for a moment to think. "OR to avoid an outrageous internet bill, we just go find an ancient witch of comparable power to add to OUR forces. We _have_ been a bit lacking in that department since Hecate bit the dust."

"Before Kamdor and I arrived on the world of the Power Rangers," Miratrix began, "we encountered a witch who just might be exactly what we need."

"Then I'll leave that job to the two of you," Mozenrath said with a nod. "Meanwhile, I have a backup plan to get the Overtakers under my thrall."

Mozenrath's gauntlet sparked and a golden necklace with a large purple gemstone materialized in his hand.

"Someone go get Mysterio," Mozenrath ordered. "It'll make his day once he learns that we have a wedding to plan."


	11. A Horse of a Different Color

Russell scrunched up his nose in disgust as he and the other eight Overtakers emerged from the dark portal into what appeared to be a city's back alley.

"This place smells fuckin' disgusting," Russell remarked. "Reeks like an opium addict around here... are they growin' _poppies?_ "

"Reminds me a bit of the Narrows, actually," Fish said as she glanced at the verdant buildings towering over them.

"My biometric scanners indicate that this city is primarily inhabited by humans," Doom reported.

"I could've told y'all that," Russell said.

Doom groaned and continued as if he hadn't heard Russell. "Given the circumstances, it would be wise for certain of us to assume less conspicuous forms."

"He's talking about you, big boy," Ursula said as she playfully nudged Hades.

"Oy, isn't that the chest-plate callin' the helmet bronze," Hades grumbled. "Okay, fine, badda-bing badda-you-get-the-picture."

Blue flames engulfed Hades and vanished almost as quickly as they'd come. Once the fire cleared, Hades was standing before them, appearing the way he did back in Gotham: a death metal rocker's variation of his usual clothes, Caucasian skin, and spiky blue hair. Ursula meanwhile also opted for a more subtle form. Her seashell necklace began to glow a bright shade of gold, and Ursula took on her Vanessa form as it did.

"It _has_ been too long since I've stretched these legs," Vanessa remarked.

"Aye, I believe I speak for all present when I say that those legs should be stretched and spread more often," Hook said with a grin.

Fish smacked Hook on the back of the head for his comment and then proceeded to smack Russell as well.

"What was that for?" Russell asked.

"Because you would have said it if Hook hadn't beaten you to the punch," Fish answered.

"True," Russell said with a shrug.

Jafar rolled his eyes and proceeded over to where Maleficent and Loki were currently lingering, studying the details of their surroundings with a careful eye.

"What do you make of this world?" Jafar asked.

"It required the power of three keys to access," Maleficent explained, "therefore, we should expect it to be unique from the worlds we've encountered. There is a certain risk involved."

"But the greater the risk, the greater the _reward_ ," Jafar declared greedily.

"I must say, I quite enjoy the aesthetic," Loki said with a smirk. "They certainly seem to favor my favorite color."

"Sheesh, you're right," Hades chimed in. "They sure have a thing for green. Don't these mortals know that variety is the spice of the afterlife?"

"Your Underworld adheres to the same exact black and blue color scheme in every gods forsaken room," Loki pointed out, "so I've no desire to hear you, of all beings, remarking on the color coordination of anything."

Vanessa leaned over and whispered to Fish. "Swims like a whale, sings like a-"

"Yes, yes, we're all _quite_ aware that I favor the romantic and sexual company of gentlemen," Loki said with a sigh as he rolled his eyes. "May we please devise a more original quip?"

"Touchy, aren't we?" Fish asked with a smirk.

"Are you imbeciles quite done?" Jafar asked.

Hook wrapped his arms around Jafar from behind and rested his head on Jafar's shoulder. "Oh come now, my viper, you should lighten up a bit. Have a little fun."

Hook planted a kiss on Jafar's cheek that seemed to make the sorcerer resign to tolerating (or at the very least not resisting) the insanity wrought by his colleagues.

"I'll have fun when this world is ours to take," Jafar replied.

"Why not have fun _while_ you're takin' the world?" Russell asked. "Honestly, Jafar, I think you're missin' out on half the fun here."

"Are we to linger in an alley or are we to explore this world?" Doom asked. "Doom grows impatient."

"How _does_ his low tolerance for delayed gratification work for you in the bedroom?" Vanessa asked Loki.

"You speak as though frustrating him isn't my favorite foreplay," Loki answered with a grin.

"Ahem," Maleficent said as she cleared her throat.

She shot a glance at her allies who all immediately became silent, awaiting her instructions. Long ago, back when it was only her and the goblins, Maleficent would have shouted and thrown around thunderbolts in order to demand silence. It was a testament to the Overtakers' attention and mutual respect that they would grant her the floor automatically when she made her desire known.

"Now then, shall we see the world we came for?" Maleficent asked as she beckoned for the Overtakers to follow her out into the green immaculately polished street.

"This is practically a city of emerald," Vanessa remarked. "I should've dressed for the occasion."

Vanessa's phrasing caused Fish, Russell, and Doom to pause and exchange a look.

"Are you two thinking what I'm thinking?" Fish asked.

"Well we sure ain't in Kansas any more," Russell quipped.

"Given the principles of fictionality that we've observed in our travels, I'd say it is not only possible but likely," Doom remarked.

"Something you wish to share with the rest of us?" Jafar asked.

"Well if we're right, we're gonna start seein' Munchkins real soon," Russell quipped.

"The Munchkins reside in Munchkin Land, not the Emerald City, you dolt," Doom said with a groan. "There is a tale told in our homeworlds known as _The Wizard of Oz_. This setting bears a striking resemblance to the locations depicted in it."

"Wizard of _Oz?_ " Hook asked. "Oh bloody Hell."

"You know it as well, captain?" Maleficent asked.

"Not the story itself, but Emma almost married the Wizard of Oz before he turned out to be a flying monkey," Hook explained. "We had a rather unfortunate run in with the Wicked Witch of the West back in Storybrooke."

"Why does none of this surprise me any more?" Fish asked with a sigh.

"A children's bedtime story?" Loki asked. " _That_ is what is giving you all pause?"

"Many would say the same of the Norse myths," Doom pointed out. "We canot afford to discount the possibility."

"Many fairy tales are, in fact, true," Maleficent pointed out.

"Okay so let's keep our eyes on the prize here," Hades interjected. "Let's just run with the assumption that we _are_ in the merry ol' Land of Oz. What can we expect to run into here? Biggest threats? Biggest reward? C'mon, babes, talk to me."

"Were you listening before? Flying monkeys!" Hook asserted. "Bloody beasts, they are."

"This is Remnant all over again," Loki bemoaned.

"Glinda the Good Witch is one of those powerful sanctimonious hero types," Fish explained. "She could also throw trouble our way."

"But the greatest prize to seek would be the Ruby Slippers," Doom asserted. "The story was vague regarding the power of the shoes, but their magic was powerful enough to allow a young girl to cross worlds with but a thought."

"All useful information," Maleficent nodded. "But, for now, we should see this world for ourselves and confirm if it is indeed the land you believe it to be."

"If I'm smellin' poppies, it absolutely is," Russell said.

"A tour _would_ be nice," Vanessa said. "And look! There's a carriage coming our way!"

Sure enough, a horse-drawn carriage being driven by a bearded man wearing a green suit and top hat was pulling down the lane. The carriage was drawn by a beautiful stark white stallion. Vanessa sauntered up to the curb and seductively waved to the coachman. Her beautiful visage seemed to do the trick nicely, as he stopped the carriage with a huge grin plastered across his face.

"Cabby here! Take ya any place in the city, we does!" the coachman called out. "Free of charge for such a lovely lady such as yourself!"

"You're too kind, sir," Vanessa said with a smile. "My friends and I were looking for someone to give us a tour of this beautiful city. Surely someone as handsome as you would know all about the sights to see."

"You've come to the right place, ya have!" the coachman replied. "Hop on in! It might be a bit tight for all of ya, but one of ya can sit up front next to me."

Vanessa smirked and mused to herself, _And I bet I know exactly which one of us you want sitting next to you_.

The Overtakers filed into the carriage, and Vanessa, naturally, took the seat next to the coachman, cozying up against him. After all, the key to manipulation was giving the mark just enough of what they wanted to string them along. Hades was the first to notice something odd about the carriage's steed: it was no longer white, but, rather, a bright shade of purple.

"Eh, 'scuse me, babe, but did your horse just go roll around in Bacchus's wine when I wasn't lookin'?" Hades asked.

The coachman laughed. "No, no, nothing like that. He's the one of a kind Horse of a Different Color you've heard so much about!"

Loki smirked. "What clever wordplay."

"Hyah!" the coachman called out as he whipped the horse to begin moving forward.

Russell leaned over to Fish. "You don't think he'll-"

" _Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho_ ," the coachman began to sing. " _And a couple of tra-la-las. That's how we laugh the day away in the merry old Land of Oz!_ "

"Yup," Russell groaned. "This is gonna be a long ride."

* * *

Scar sat on a comfortable tuft of green grass amidst Maleficent's thorn gardens. Large briars towered over everything and the glass ceiling above kept a perpetually pink hue that made it always feel like sunset in the room. He was curled up for a little cat nap in the only part of the entire castle that felt familiar to him. The rest of the castle was uncomfortably human in its sensibilities, and Scar's status as the only animal member made him feel quite out of place. He was roused from his slumber by the sound of high heeled footsteps clomping towards him.

"Oh! They _weren't_ fooling me!" Cruella said as a devilish grin cracked onto her face. "Hades did bring back a lion. How marvelous, _MARVELOUS!_ "

"Yes, quite," Scar said with a roll of his eyes. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I am not some specimen in a zoo."

"Ooh, you are a big boy, aren't you?" Cruella asked. "You'll make a fine coat for my collection."

" _Coat?_ " Scar asked before taking a moment to study Cruella and the oversized fur coat she wore. "I assure you, madam, that I will be _no_ coat of yours, and if you even think about skinning me, I shall relieve you of your withered face with a swipe of my claws!"

Cruella gasped with mock offense. "How rude! Yes, you'll definitely be of more use to me as a coat!"

Scar roared and jumped to his feet. However, before he could attack, Cruella exhaled a green cloud of smoke over him. Scar suddenly lost all sense of what he had been doing. He felt tame and docile, and every thought inside of his head was dominated by a single command: obey Cruella. A small explosion-like noise went off around him, and suddenly Scar's trance was lifted just as quickly as it had come. Scar shook his head.

"I think that's quite enough," Ardyn Izunia said as he strolled over. "A hand, your majesty?"

"What was that?" Scar grumbled as he rubbed his head with his paw.

"You DARE interfere with me, you horrid man?" Cruella asked angrily.

"Now, now, we Overtakers must stand together, mustn't we?" Ardyn remarked. "I would certainly hate for Maleficent to receive word of you attempting to murder one of her newest recruits, Cruella. Why, she might even consign you to the dungeons, and wouldn't that be a pity? Perhaps you could keep Cora's corpse company?"

Cruella growled, but she knew Ardyn's threat was very real. She huffed as she turned around and stormed out of the gardens.

"What a contemptible woman," Scar huffed. "You have my thanks for your assistance mister..."

"Izunia, Ardyn Izunia," he replied. "I see you've been having some difficulty making friends, your highness."

Scar scowled. "All of our allies are humans, and that has made the transition... difficult, to say the least."

"Well, despite appearances, most of our allies are _not_ , in fact, human," Ardyn corrected. "Many would bristle at such a label."

"A technicality," Scar said dismissively. "All appear as humans and carry themselves as such. No other beasts inhabit this castle, aside from _pets_."

"An outsider even amongst outsiders, hmm?" Ardyn asked.

"Not a new feeling for me, unfortunately," Scar bemoaned. "They all loved my brother Mufasa and loathed me, even though I was always the superior mind more fit to be king than that brutish oaf."

Ardyn scratched his chin and smiled at the story being told. "Ah, but _that_ is a tale I know all too well. My own brother Somnus stole my throne and demonized me to the people despite my status as their savior."

"I hope you were able to kill yours," Scar said. "Killing Mufasa was the greatest triumph of my life."

"Alas Somnus died before I could do the deed myself," Ardyn answered. "However, I _did_ succeed in destroying his legacy and bringing about the death of his descendant, ending Somnus's bloodline forever."

"A fair consolation prize," Scar nodded. "Did you start your bloodline to supplant his?"

"That... I did not," Ardyn admitted. "It never occurred to me to create my own dynasty until after my death and resurrection. I was too consumed by revenge to give anything else a passing thought."

"An understandable mistake," Scar remarked. "I too failed to secure an heir, though not for lack of trying...."

Scar gritted his teeth in rage at the memory of Nala's rejection. She and all the others rightfully belonged to him, yet she wouldn't even tell him that he was adored. Simba stole her away from him too. One more conquest the prodigal son made when he dethroned Scar.

"Permit me to make a suggestion," Ardyn said after a moment. "It occurs to me that you lost your empire and chance at a dynasty, whilst I lack a bloodline to build my own. Perhaps we can help one another. After all, it seems we both have walked similar paths."

"You would make a lion your heir?" Scar asked as he raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ah. No," Ardyn replied. "But being a lion isn't exactly working to your advantage at present, now is it?"

"What... _exactly_ are you suggesting?" Scar asked suspiciously.

"I have a touch of magic that can turn you into a human," Ardyn explained. "You would still retain everything about yourself, including the dark magic you learned upon becoming a Heartless. You'd simply have a humanoid form, and, of course, I'd use my own blood to craft your form, making you a true progeny. As for the dynasty, I'd leave all that dull business to you to do as you please. What do you say?"

"It's... quite an offer," Scar said. "Though it's quite a _drastic_ change to make. I don't think that I can accept at this time."

"Suit yourself," Ardyn said with a shrug. "It was naught but a suggestion. Do watch out for Cruella, though. She has the power to control any animal, and you are the only Overtaker vulnerable to that caveat. I may not be able to protect you from her next time."

Scar knew manipulation when he heard it. He, himself, was a master manipulator. Yet that didn't make Ardyn wrong. As long as Scar remained a lion, he would be vulnerable and unable to truly assimilate into the faction. If Scar was being perfectly honest with himself, he never truly felt much kinship with other lions in the first place, and the Overtakers had the potential to give him that sense of belonging that he'd always lacked. Scar wanted to transform. He craved it. So why was he holding back? Deep down Scar knew it was nothing more than fear holding him back, and he refused to give in to fear.

"Wait," Scar called out.

Ardyn smiled to himself before turning around. " _Yes?_ "

* * *

The Overtakers strolled down the streets of the Emerald City, casually ignoring the horrific carriage accident behind them. Vanessa tilted the green top hat slightly off center to make it look a bit more fashionable.

"I do so love it when men give me hats," Vanessa said with a lilting laugh.

"Would you take that off?" Russell asked with a groan. "It makes you look like a prostitute on Saint Patrick's Day."

"How rude!" Vanessa said with an offended gasp.

"Baby, I'm sorry, but it does," Fish said as she gently pat Vanessa on the shoulder.

"Any element of subtlety we once possessed is now lost to us," Loki said with an irritated glance in Hades's direction.

"Look, babe, in my defense, I may have thrown the first fireball, but I did NOT make the first murder threat," Hades argued as he glared at Jafar.

"I did _nothing_ wrong," Jafar insisted.

"It matters naught," Maleficent chimed in. "We learned all that we needed to know regarding this city. He had little else left to offer us."

"Aye... aside from his coin purse," Hook said as he proudly held up a small bag that he'd taken off the coachman.

"You pick-pocketed him?" Loki asked.

"Pirate," Hook said as he gestured to himself.

"I suppose that slightly compensates for your arbitrary inclusion in our inner circle," Loki said with a sneer.

Hook looked away from Loki and strove to push the trickster god's words from his mind. "It appears as though the gentleman made a fair profit on tips, enough to treat us all to a round of drinks."

"You know what, I think it's actually happy hour at that cute little Emerald Eatery restaurant," Fish pointed out. "The food smelled delicious on the ride past it."

"We do not need to delay our mission to dine," Doom insisted.

"Speak for yourself," Vanessa replied. "This skinny little twig of a body needs a little meat on its bones."

"I see no reason to deny ourselves a fine meal," Maleficent said with a nod. "After all, we are in no hurry."

"This is a waste of time," Doom grumbled.

"He's only saying that because he's an incredibly picky eater," Loki claimed.

"Says the god who turned his nose up at the finest delicacies in Europe for not adhering to his preference for Scandinavian ingredients," Doom countered.

"So those two are gonna have a liquid dinner," Hades said with a smirk. "Big shocker. Not even the Fates coulda seen THAT coming."

Jafar chuckled at that remark. "A most unforeseen turn of events indeed."

"Yes, amusing, perhaps we shall see how predictable I am when you find a viper in your smallclothes," Loki threatened.

"I knew he was gonna say that," Russell said with a laugh, earning a frustrated growl from Loki.

The group of villains strolled back down the way they'd came and arrived at the Emerald Eatery. The Overtakers began to file into the restaurant one by one.

"A word, your excellency," Hook said, addressing Maleficent.

The evil fairy nodded and stepped off to the side with Hook. "You may speak."

"I find myself a bit troubled by Loki's accusations," Hook explained. "He obviously believes me to be an unwelcomed addition to our inner circle."

"Loki delights in causing mischief," Maleficent said. "If you've a dispute with the Liesmith, you may take it up with him directly."

"It's not that," Hook replied. "I only meant... I feel unsure as to why I was included in the inner circle given all the points Loki has made."

"As I said before, you are here because I _chose_ you," Maleficent answered.

"But _why_ did you choose me?" Hook asked.

"Have you so little faith in your own value?" Maleficent asked as she raised an eyebrow. "You singlehandedly delivered the Author to me, allowing for my gaining control of the Book of Prophecies. I have not forgotten so valuable a contribution to our cause."

Hook gazed at Maleficent with suspicion. "You're lying to me. I've gambled enough to recognize a bluff when I hear one."

Maleficent sneered at his remark. "Keep yourself focused on the task at hand or you'll be left behind in this insipid land."

Maleficent twirled her cloak and proceeded into the restaurant to communicate that their conversation was done whether Hook wanted it to be or not.

* * *

Sid strapped the metal contraption to his wrist and flexed his arm in every direction that he could to test the device's rage of mobility.

"How do they fit?" Watts asked.

"Perfect, they're snug but comfortable," Sid said.

"Excellent," Watts replied with a grin. "Now then, those shot gauntlets are loaded with highly pressurized fire dust, a form of ammunition native to my homeworld. When fired, it will produce a streak of sparking flame that will explode upon making contact with the first physical object it touches. The effect is actually quite similar to one of your fireworks."

Sid aimed one of the gauntlets at the training dummy and fired. Sure enough, a crimson streak shot from the gauntlet and burst into a brilliant red firework, annihilating the test dummy.

"That was fucking AWESOME!" Sid shouted excitedly as he began to play air guitar and to sing the instrumental part of a heavy metal song.

"Yes... quite," Watts said with an exasperated sigh. "The gauntlets also contain a special chamber that can be filled with different colored dyes to grant your fireworks a variety of different colors should you desire a different aesthetic."

"That is badass, doc!" Sid said. "You're a genius!"

"Yes, I know," Watts said with a nod.

"Oh man, what am I gonna blow next?" Sid asked, greedily looking around for a new target.

"As long as it isn't any of my belongings, _that_ is something I have no desire to know about," Watts replied. "Plausible deniability. You understand."

"This is fucking sweet," Sid said as he ran his fingers across the cool metal of the gauntlets. "I think I'll call them The Big Ones... for nostalgia's sake, mostly. Man, between this and the bombs I got from Kingpin, I am _ready_ to start blowing shit up for the Overtakers!"

A fiendish cackle echoed throughout the room as the Green Goblin walked in.

"Now this one has style," the Goblin declared. "I like him already."

Watts groaned at the Goblin's entrance. "I thought we agreed that you would keep to your floor in this facility and I would keep to mine and we would never have to interact with one another."

The Goblin shrugged. "I'm a man of simple tastes: I hear things exploding, and I simply have to come see the chaos."

"It's badass, right?" Sid said as he held the gauntlet aloft.

"I'm surrounded by such crude people," Watts said with a groan. "If you two wish to continue your pyromania, please do so in a part of the castle where I _don't_ work."

"Actually, I _do_ have an ulterior motive for coming up here," the Goblin said. "There's a score I need settled back on my homeworld, and I'm looking for a little help in the matter."

"Seems to be quite the trend of late," Ardyn remarked as he strolled into the room. "Then again, I suppose not everyone could have been like me and taken care of all issues back home before joining up."

"Ardyn, so nice of you to drop by," Watts said before muttering to himself, "everyone else is today anyway."

"I thought I might stop by to introduce you to my new heir," Ardyn said as he dramatically gestured to the doorway behind him, "King Scar Izunia!"

Scar stepped into view with a sinister smirk. No longer a mere lion, now he stood tall as a human man. His short black hair and black goatee framed his face, and his piercing green eyes remained as sly as ever, their power undeterred by the still prominent scar over his left one. His tan skin was offset by a lion-skin vest the color of his fur, and the vest also had attached to it a bushy black mane that wrapped around his shoulders.

"Long live the king," Scar said with a villainous chuckle.

"Oh goodie, more guests," Watts said with a sigh.

"Hey, wait a sec," Sid said. "Aren't you that lion that came back from Olliewood with us?"

"Perceptive," Scar said. "A rare quality in such a young man."

"Okay, I officially regret thinking you were hot when you walked in," Sid said sheepishly.

"Oh but he's as human as any of you now," Ardyn pointed out. "I created his body myself through my powers. Therefore, there is nothing disturbing about finding him attractive."

"Yeah, that doesn't help," Sid said with a shake of his head.

"Now then, what was this I heard about a score to be settled?" Scar asked. "Don't allow me to interrupt you."

"Back in my world, I had a certain pest by the name of Spider-Man," the Goblin said. "I offered him the chance to rule New York by my side, just the two of us _together_. Yet he refused me! Allowed me to _die_ before my vengeance on him could be sated!"

"Did you have a thing for him?" Sid asked suspiciously.

"I have _hatred_ for him!" the Goblin answered.

"So that's a yes," Watts remarked, thinking back to his own past relationship with James Ironwood and the hatred that falling out inspired. "Alright then, revenge on your unrequited crush wasn't exactly what I had in mind for this afternoon, yet I find myself oddly sympathetic to your plight. I suppose I'll help you."

"Dude, I am SO there as long as I get to blow more shit up!" Sid declared. "Time for the world tour debut of the Da Vinci of Destruction!"

Sid held up a devil's horns hand and started headbanging as he sang his own guitar riff. Watts cocked an eyebrow and sneered at Sid.

"The _what_ of destruction now?" Watts asked.

"Y'know, the Da Vinci of Destruction!" Sid said. "The Van Gogh of VIOLENCE! THE REMBRANDT OF _WRECKAGE!_ "

Sid began to sing a dramatic heavy metal guitar riff as he started jumping around playing air guitar. Watts just sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Now I'm half-tempted to revoke my RSVP for this little mission," Watts said.

"Too late, I'm taking _you_ at your word," the Goblin said with a chuckle.

"I figured," Watts grumbled.

"If nothing else, this should prove to be amusing," Scar chimed in with a chuckle. "I'll join as well."

"After Agrabah, I do believe I've had my fill of blood feuds for the foreseeable future," Ardyn said with a dismissive wave as he started to stroll out of the room. "You boys enjoy yourselves... just not _too_ much. I would hate to hear of one of you perishing horribly along the way."

As Sid came to the dramatic conclusion of his air guitar solo, Watts simply shook his head.

"Best not to make promises we can't keep."

* * *

Hook pulled Jafar back into the alleyway behind the Emerald Eatery whilst the other Overtakers were inside enjoying their meal. Jafar wasn't exactly pleased to have been pulled away from his filet mignon, but he obliged his boyfriend's request.

"What is so important that it couldn't wait until after dinner?" Jafar asked.

"Maleficent is lying to me," Hook said. "She has an ulterior motive to including me in her core Overtakers."

"Of course she does," Jafar replied with a dismissive handwave. "She has ulterior motives for everything she does. It's why I admire her so."

"That's not the bloody point!" Hook said. "She knows something important about me and won't tell me what it is!"

"Which is why _I've_ already begun working to divine _exactly_ what it is," Jafar said.

Hook's face twisted with confusion. "What? You have?"

"Of course," Jafar nodded. "I do not allow secrets to be kept from my grasp, particularly when they pertain to me. And anything pertaining to you pertains to me at this point."

"Have you learned anything yet?" Hook asked.

"Patience, my sea-snake, _patience_ ," Jafar replied. "These things require time, and we must proceed with the utmost care."

"Aye, that we must," Hook said. "What would you have me do first?"

"Oh, the usual," a third voice broke in. "Bow before me, submit to my will, serve me and only me...."

"Who DARES?" Hook and Jafar both shouted together in unison as they rounded upon the intruder.

"You!" Jafar spat angrily.

"Me," Mozenrath said with a smirk. "And you two are just the two usurpers I was looking for. You see, I wanted to be the one to destroy Aladdin, and the fact that an old has-been and a neophyte beat me to the punch burns me to the core. So..."

Mozenrath snapped his gauntleted hand, and in a flash of blue dimensional flames, the Huntsman and Madam Mim appeared on either side of Jafar and Hook. Mozenrath's allies both looked to be ready to fight to the death.

"I suppose I'll just have to settle for burning _you_ to the core."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Emerald City, the coachman, and the horse of a different color are all from The Wizard of Oz... just in case you didn't get that from the text of the chapter XD Though it IS the Oz from the 1939 film, not the one from OUAT or any of the other adaptations (though I might pull influence from those).


	12. A Previous Engagement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you should be familiar with the "Cupid Shuffle" by Cupid... Yes, I'm serious.

"Now then," Maleficent said as she dabbed her mouth clean with her napkin. "What do we know of those in power in this world? What do the stories of your lands tell us?"

"This city was ruled by the wizard before abdicating his position to the Scarecrow," Doom explained. "However, given the state of this city, it's debatable how much governing actually occurs from those in power. Oz was, after all, an American story, and Americans are notorious for their ineffective government."

"True. Back in Gotham, the mayor's office was practically a farce," Fish chimed in. "It was Don Falcone who really controlled the city... or perhaps it was the Court of Owls society all along. Doesn't matter. The point is elected officials were nothing but puppets on a string. All easily bought and paid for."

Doom scoffed. "Such is the failure of American democracy."

"Oy, that's an _Athenian_ invention," Hades pointed out. "For a goddess of wisdom, Athena sure didn't think that one through, did she?"

"Well, for all its flaws, America has its perks," Russell remarked. "I could buy my way outta anything. Land of the free? Fuck no. Land of the Almighty Dollar."

"Bah! You say that as if it were a true advantage," Doom scoffed. "It has a government of the rabble, constantly alternating between two parties, one inept at ruling a nation and the other inept at gaining power in spite of every advantage. It is a country to be pitied, but never emulated."

"I admit myself mildly intrigued by a system in which power resides in the hands of the most convincing liar," Loki chimed in. "Yet I must agree that such bureaucratic politics are vastly inferior to the decisive leadership of a rightful monarch."

"Democracy is only preferable to monarchy when the monarch is incompetent," Doom added. "Compare the quality of life in Latveria under my rule to that of the Americans who must rely on spandex wearing narcissists to defend them from even the most miniscule of threats."

"Bad as Triton is, a kingdom run by someone the schools of fish think should be in charge would be even worse," Vanessa added. "They'd end up electing some loud mouthed lobster who's better off being served in butter than ruling the seas. On the other tentacle, a democracy _would_ be the perfect opportunity to sneak my way into power and then just refuse to play by the rules once I got there."

"Precisely why such a system is ineffective," Doom replied.

"I do not disagree, but we have drifted away from the initial topic," Maleficent said as she took a sip of her wine. "Let's try to bring ourselves back to the point."

"Uh, babe, hi, yeah, sorry, no, I'm about to hop topics again real quick," Hades chimed in. "Not that I don't love all of the political booga-booga, but has anyone else noticed that Jaffy and Hooky have been in the bathroom a long stinkin' time?"

"Three guesses what they're doing," Vanessa said with a smirk. "Hook's a pirate, after all. Probably playing bury the treasure. 'Yarr, matey, give me the booty!'"

Russell nodded. "Vampiric hearing, remember. I can fucking _hear_ Hook yelling in pain and Jafar bein' bossy right now. They're one-hundred percent fucking."

* * *

Hook screamed out in pain as the Huntsman blasted him in the chest with a bolt of green energy.

"Oh stop being such an infant," Jafar sneered. "Zaba kabudabra!"

The spell healed Hook immediately, allowing the pirate to get back on his feet. Mozenrath, Mim, and the Huntsman had begun to circle Jafar and Hook, and the two Overtakers stood back to back with their weapons drawn in preparation for the next attack. Jafar raised his staff above his head and mumbled an incantation. Hook instantly began to glow red with magic, and he gasped at the sensation of the power coursing through his veins.

"A fraction of my power is now yours," Jafar said. "Don't disappoint me."

Hook chuckled confidently. "Exactly what I needed."

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" the Huntsman shouted as he leapt into action.

As the Huntsman lunged, Hook held up his sword to block the huntstaff from cleaving him in two. Hook energized his sword with Jafar's magic, causing it to unleash a pulse of red energy that sent the Huntsman stumbling backwards. Blasts of red fire billowed out of the tip of Hook's sword, snaking through the air to strike at the Huntsman. Hook's opponent deftly dodged the flames and swiped his huntstaff, creating a wave of green energy to hurl at Hook. The energy struck the pirate and knocked him off his feet.

"Your magic is of little consequence to one of the Huntsclan," the Huntsman boasted with a chuckle.

"Then what of my metal?" Hook asked as he staggered to his feet as he began wildly swinging his sword about.

Sword and huntstaff became locked in combat as the two blades clashed and parried each other's blows with nary an advantage to be had to either side.

Jafar vanished into a steadily growing cloud of red smoke. Mozenrath and Madam Mim both hurled blasts of magic into the cloud, but their spells did them little good as Jafar's genie form towered over them. Mim transformed herself into a bright pink gryphon that began to soar towards Jafar's head, intent on clawing his eyes out. Mozenrath, meanwhile, unleashed a powerful blast of blue energy at the evil genie. Jafar telekinetically diverted the course of Mozenrath's blast so that it would hit Mim instead. Mim squawked in pain as she tumbled back to the ground.

"Watch where you're throwing those things!" Mim shouted as she fell out of the sky.

"Watch where _you're_ flying!" Mozenrath retorted.

Jafar's arms became irradiated with flames and fiery comets poured from Jafar's fingertips to reign death down below. Mozenrath scrambled to evade the flames, and Mim transformed herself into a pink fox to run fast enough to stay out of their way.

"HUNTSMAN! I NEED YOU!" Mozenrath called out.

The Huntsman shoved Hook to the side and reached into his satchel to produce a pair of anti-magic bolas. He threw the bolas at Jafar, and they tightly wrapped themselves around Jafar's wrists, binding his hands behind his back. With his magical genie form disrupted, Jafar melted back to the ground in his human form. Jafar attempted to break the bonds with a spell, but the bolas ricocheted the spell back onto Jafar with a painful shock, forcing him to his knees.

"This is oddly satisfying when I'm not the one trapped in them," Mozenrath said with a smirk.

"I had considered allowing you to continue your _mediocre_ existence in the Land of the Black Sands," Jafar spat. "But rest assured, after this affront, your kingdom shall be mine and your death will be excruciating!"

"Aww, the big bad Jafar wants to threaten me," Mozenrath taunted. "Well try THIS on for size."

Mozenrath charged his gauntlet with energy and backhanded Jafar across the face, his strike strengthened by magic. Jafar tried not to show his obvious pain on his face.

Mim's grin widened as she watched. "Not so tough now, is he?"

By now, the Huntsman had managed to ensnare Hook in his own set of bolas. The Huntsman roughly shoved Hook down to his knees next to Jafar.

"I promise you, you'll die for this, mate," Hook warned angrily.

"These two do so love their clichés, don't they?" Mozenrath asked. "But idle threats don't impress me, and I'm growing tired of them both."

A pile of black sand materialized in the palm of Mozenrath's hand. Jafar groaned in irritation, knowing what was coming. With a single puff of breath, Mozenrath sent the sands flying as they whisked Jafar and Hook away into a swirl of black sand. The black swirl coalesced into a single marble sized black ball, leaving behind only a pair of empty bolas. Mozenrath grabbed the tiny orb out of the air and immediately pocketed it.

"Two down," Mozenrath said with a boastful grin.

"Oh let me destroy them!" Mim pleaded. "I'll turn into a dragon, use my fire breath to make that black sand into black glass, and then SMASH it into smithereens!"

"The Lord of the Underworld would simply resurrect them anew unharmed," the Huntsman pointed out. "Imprisonment is the only true way to remove them from the board."

"Besides, to steal a quote from our new prisoner," Mozenrath began. "There are things so much worse than death!"

* * *

"Blackheart!" Amora shouted as she blasted her way into Blackheart's torture chamber. "Skurge saw you rifling around in my vanity. What have you done with my lipstick?"

Blackheart, however, did not turn around to face the Enchantress. He kept his attention focused squarely on applying the makeup to the lips of a woman's severed head that was propped up on the table.

"I thought Anne deserved to feel pretty again," Blackheart answered.

Amora sneered in disgust. "You dare waste the finest Asgardian cosmetics on some peasant girl's corpse?"

" _Peasant_ girl? No, Anne was a _queen_ ," Blackheart corrected. "The second wife of Henry VIII, actually. Ol' King Henry sold his soul and his ex-wife's corpse to my father in exchange for his next wife being able to produce a son. Poor Anne Boleyn here asked for none of this."

Amora snatched the tube of lipstick out of Blackheart's hand and angrily stormed out of the chamber. Blackheart simply shook his head and turned back to Anne Boleyn's head.

"She'd never have made it as one of Henry's wives, would she, Annie?" Blackheart asked before he started singing and using Anne's head as a puppet. " _Well my sleeves may be green, but my lipstick's red...._ "

Amora stomped down the hall in frustration, the clopping of her high heels echoing against the stone walls. Amora held the tube of lipstick up to her nose and retched at the scent. It reeked of brimstone and decaying flesh. With a growl, Amora incinerated the now useless tube of lipstick with her magic.

"Rough day?" a voice asked.

Amora looked up to see Warp Darkmatter leaning up against the wall. "You were one of the new recruits weren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," Warp said. "Gotta say, nobody told me that this Overtaker thing had such a hottie on it. No offense to the other old hags, but you're a ten in a sea of fives."

Amora flipped her hair back. "You say that as if it were a fact that I was not already well aware of."

"Confident, I like it," Warp replied with a smirk. "Name's Darkmatter. Warp Darkmatter."

"Amora the Enchantress," she offered. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, it has been an irritating day, and I'd like to salvage what's left of it my treating myself to a spa day."

"This castle has a spa?" Warp asked.

"This castle has _everything_ ," Amora said with a smirk.

"Dang, gonna have to give that spa a try," Warp said. "I've got that deep, crick-in-the-neck feeling to work out."

"Well then come along with me if you wish," Amora invited.

"Don't mind if I do," Warp said with a grin. "Say, have you ever had a Rhizomian deep tissue massage?"

"I can't say that I have," Amora admitted.

"Oh then you haven't lived," Warp said as he and Amora proceeded down the hall towards the spa.

* * *

DJ Deadbeat had the House of Villains practically bursting with activity this evening. With Maleficent and the other leaders of the faction off-world, various Overtakers and minions alike had gathered in the club to make use of their newfound free time. Hans, Demyx, and Cruella were all dancing in the center of the club, drawing a crowd of admirers to watch as they each took turns striking dramatic poses to outdo one another. Grimhilde, who had returned once more to her queenly beauty, admired her girlfriend's dramatic dancing from the side of the room.

"She certainly has spirit, your majesty," Steve Newlin commented as he stood next to Grimhilde.

"In abundance," Grimhilde agreed.

"Which kinda makes me wonder why you're not out there with her," Steve continued.

Grimhilde raised an eyebrow and ran her fingers over her ruby pendant. "I am a _queen_ and far too refined for such frivolity."

"You want some free advice?" Steve asked.

"No," Grimhilde replied.

"Well, too bad, I'm tellin' you anyway," Steve said. "Don't make excuses to avoid spendin' some quality fun time with the person you love. It's never really worth it. Trust me, I learned that lesson the hard way with everything Russell and I went through."

Grimhilde was silent for a moment as if considering Steve's words before speaking again. "Don't you have a dragon you should be taking care of?"

"I'm sure Jabbers is fine without me for ten minutes," Steve said with a light laugh until an explosion sounded off from outside.

Steve's smile morphed into a look of sheer exasperation. "I gotta go."

Steve ran out of the club at vampiric speeds, leaving Grimhilde alone as a wallflower once more. In truth, she wanted to join Cruella, and if she were still in her old hag alter ego, she would do so in a heartbeat. However, she'd always held herself to a higher standard as the queen. There was a way that royals behaved to keep the peasants envious of their unattainable grace and beauty, and Grimhilde had trained herself never to stray from it. Yet, did any of that truly matter amongst the Overtakers? Surely amongst those whom Grimhilde thought of as friends, she could afford to allow the lines between her two halves to blur.

As a new song began to play, Grimhilde made up her mind. She strutted out onto the dancefloor with her head held high. Several of the minions whooped and hollered upon seeing her enter the fray, drawing Cruella's attention towards the source of the excitement. Cruella's surprised grin was wide enough to split her face in half as she bounded over to Grimhilde.

"DARLING! Oh this is so unlike you! I love it!" Cruella declared with a cackle.

"Perhaps you can teach me the moves to this waltz," Grimhilde said with a coy smirk.

"Oh this one is SO easy! The lyrics tell you exactly what to do!" Cruella replied. "Just follow my lead."

The entire crowd began to get into several horizontal lines facing the stage, and Grimhilde took her place right behind Cruella. Hans and Demyx flashed Grimhilde a big thumbs up from next to her.

" _They got a brand new dance, you gotta move your muscle,_ " DJ Deadbeat sang out. " _Brand new dance, it's called the cupid shuffle. It don't matter if you're young or you're old. We gon' show you how it go._ "

"Get ready! Here it comes!" Cruella said.

" _To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right,_ " the DJ called out as the entire crowd began stepping to the right.

" _To the left, to the left, to the left, to the left,_ " the DJ sang as the crowd did as he said, followed immediately by, " _Now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick._ "

By the time the DJ got to, " _Now walk it by yourself, now walk it by yourself_ " and the entire crowd turned to face ninety degrees from their previous position, Grimhilde had to admit that she was getting into it. Cruella bumped Grimhilde playfully with her hip once the position shift put them side by side.

The DJ then began to repeat, _"Down, down, do your dance, do your dance."_

"Now _this_ is the part where you show 'em what you've got, darling!" Cruella declared with a laugh.

And so Cruella and Grimhilde twirled and posed and grooved to the music without a care as to who was watching them. Grimhilde's cape and and Cruella's coat twirled around in sync to the music, causing all within their vicinity to move away for fear of being hit. Grimhilde couldn't suppress a smile as Cruella laughed and danced with her. After a while, the two were no longer dancing in any part of the _Cupid Shuffle_. They'd fully broken off into their own thing, but they didn't care. It was the most fun either of them had had in a long time.

* * *

Peter Parker sat across the table from Gwen Stacy, awkward as always but not about being with her. The past three months with Gwen had been a pleasantly blissful surprise. The fact that Gwen ever decided to speak to him again after their fight at The Jazz Room was something that took Peter off guard at first. It had taken a bit of time for the couple to move past their baggage, but once they did, they were able to fall into a passionate romance. Gwen was there for him, Peter was there for her, and Spider-Man didn't need to stick his webbed hands anywhere near their relationship.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that Peter was trying to propose to Mary Jane. Peter knew he would always love MJ, but after the symbiote and Harry's death, their relationship just couldn't go back to the way it was before. The old phrase "if you love someone, you'll let them go" rang in Peter's ears once MJ told him she was moving out to L.A. to pursue a film career. He still thought back to a thousand "what ifs" every once in a while, but since he and Gwen got together, those thoughts happened less and less. Spider-Man ruined things with MJ, and Peter was dead set on that never happening with Gwen.

And so Peter and Gwen talked about boring normal stuff on their date, except normal was never really boring with Gwen. It was a welcome distraction from Peter's other life, full of six armed scientists and sand powered burglars. No, Peter could listen to Gwen discussing her normal day as if it were an epic novella. That normal, ordinary conversation kept him enthralled so as not to notice the two gentlemen watching him from their table in the corner.

"Are you quite certain this Peter Parker fellow is your nemesis?" Watts asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, he looks like a wimpy little geek to me," Sid said as he hid his face behind the day's issue of the Daily Bugle. "Not exactly superhero material."

"Parker might seem _innocent_ enough," the Goblin hissed over their Bluetooth earpieces, "but don't underestimate him. He's an opponent of considerable cunning and skill."

"Yes, I suppose he must have something special about him," Watts said. "After all, I can hardly fathom a man that awkward wooing a woman as beautiful as his companion."

"Ahh Miss Mary Jane Watson," the Goblin said with a cackle. "Does her red hair still shine in the sunlight like fire?"

"No, he's dating some blonde chick," Sid answered.

"What? A _blonde?_ " the Goblin asked. "Surely our itsy-bitsy spider didn't lose the love of his life. I was so looking forward to finishing her _nice_ and _slow_. Oh this will never do. Send me a picture of his new woman."

Watts discretely snapped a photo of Gwen on his scroll and sent the picture to the Goblin's phone. Perched atop a rooftop a few blocks away, the Goblin sat in waiting. Scar was lingering behind him trying to determine if beef jerky was, in fact, truly edible. When the Goblin heard the cheerful blip of his phone, he pulled it out and opened the picture. When he saw the woman staring back at him in the photograph, he could hardly suppress a fiendish cackle.

_Another lifetime._

_Long hard days at the office, military contracts bearing down._

_A young blonde intern, not more than seventeen._

_That skirt is far too short for an office._

_Her hair smells like lavender._

_Do what you have to do and broom her fast._

_Why could Harry never get that it was that simple?_

_Her lips tasted like cherries._

_Delicious...._

_Pregnant? No, couldn't be. She just wants the money._

_Whores are all the same._

_She's starting to show._

_Twins?_

_A different tune._

_A chance to start over... more worthy heirs than Harry._

_"Those children are mine, Gwen. Not yours! Mine!"_

_"I'll die before I let you lay a finger on my children!"_

_She's gone._

_Where did she run off to? Where? WHERE?_

_They were mine._

_Not yours._

_Mine._

The Goblin couldn't stop laughing at his memories. No. Not his memories. Osborn's. Oh she would regret coming back. Dearly.

"What? What is it?" Scar asked.

"What a tangled web we weave," the Goblin answered with a hiss. "It seems I have a date tonight... with an _old flame_."

And even Scar had to admit he found it unsettling when the Goblin punctuated his meaning by igniting his wrist-mounted flame thrower.

* * *

"And _then_ ," Russell continued, "Thomas was stupid enough to start sleepin' with the queen. Oh he denied it up and down, but he absolutely dipped his wick in her. The walls may have been stone, but they weren't soundproof."

"And what did you do with such a secret?" Loki asked, intrigued at the drama being described

"Well, as any loyal subject would do, I told his majesty immediately," Russell said with a devious grin. "From there, it was off with both of their heads, and that certainly got pesky Thomas outta my hair permanently. My position as the Lord Nightshadow was secured."

Fish let out a sigh and a light laugh. "Why does none of this surprise me anymore? Did you make _everything_ in history happen?"

"Everything _interesting_ in history," Russell affirmed.

Maleficent chuckled a bit at that. "How delightful."

"Demitasse, madam?" the non-descript waiter asked before fumbling the cup and spilling the drink all over Maleficent's hand and sleeve.

"Oh! You clumsy little FOOL!" Maleficent spat angrily as she removed the ring from her finger so that she could dry off her hand.

"Please, allow me," the apologetic waiter said as he went to wipe the table down with a rag, knocking Maleficent's ring to the floor.

"Stand back!" Maleficent ordered as the man picked up her ring and returned it to the table.

Russell zipped over to the waiter and restrained him by the throat. "There's somethin'... familiar about you."

"Maybe we should book this clumsy mamzer a one way ticket on the River Styx," Hades threatened as his hands ignited.

"Now you're speaking my language," Vanessa agreed as she sauntered over to the waiter.

Maleficent finished drying off her hand and ring. "Leave that fool be. He is nothing."

As Maleficent slipped the ring back onto her finger, the waiter smirked and vanished into a cloud of green smoke.

"Where the FUCK did he go?" Russell asked with an angry gasp.

"People _do_ come and go so quickly here," Doom said.

"Don't think for one second that I missed that quote," Fish replied.

"Doom knows not of what you speak," Doom said, though Fish could tell through his eyes that he was smirking beneath his mask.

"If I'm not mistaken, that was our dear old friend Mysterio," Loki said as ran his fingertip over the rim of his cup, "which means that Mozenrath is near."

"That impudent boy will know my wrath," Maleficent swore. "He will bend to-"

But the evil fairy stopped short and her eyes widened as she noticed her black ring still sitting on the floor. Maleficent immediately attempted to pull the ring off of her finger, but it would not budge. Instead, the illusion over it faded, and the ebony color gave way to purple and gold. Suddenly the ring vanished from her finger, and, around her neck, a necklace the same colors as the ring manifested.

"He gave you costume jewelry?" Fish asked, not fully understanding what was transpiring.

"It's definitely enchanted," Vanessa said as she attempted to undo the latch. "Probably cursed."

"It looks like a burial necklace to me," Hades said as he examined it, "the kind rich men would stick on their wives before puttin' 'em six feet under. Seen my fair share in the Underworld. Though I have no idea why Mysty would DARE stick one on _MY_ GIRL!"

"Maybe it's a threat?" Russell suggested. "Sort of a symbolic, 'I'm plannin' to kill you, so you might as well get ready for burial' type thing."

"No, a threat is sent openly and directly so that there is no mistake as to its intent," Maleficent insisted. "Mysterio's goal was to fasten this bauble to my neck. It is no threat. It is an action in and of itself."

"Why does it figure that Jafar and Hook are nowhere to be found at a moment like this?" Loki asked with a sigh.

"Someone go get them and give them an update," Fish said. "If you have to, pull Jafar off of Hoo... What is that?"

Fish pointed towards a cloud of puce smoke taking shape across the room. Hades placed a strong arm in between Maleficent and the smoke cloud as it crept forward. The Overtakers watched as the cloud swirled and sparked with magenta lightning, and once it did, a figure took shape within the cloud. Tall, gaunt, and reeking of rotting flesh, a figure dressed in the tattered robes of nobility stepped out of the smoke.

"Finally out of that wretched Netherworld," the figure said with a chuckle. "It's nice to be needed in the Land of the Living again."

"Look babe, dunno who you are, and I don't care," Hades said. "Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead, and if you don't want to end up that way, then you'll turn tail like NOW."

"Hades, hmm? Yes, well, threatening to kill the undead is a bit besides the point," the figure said with a grin that showed off his rotten teeth. "I'm simply here to take that which is owed to me: the bride engaged to me by the magic of my necklace."

"I shall never be yours!" Maleficent spat.

"Perhaps we can come to some arrangement," Loki suggested. "What was your name again?"

The corpse chuckled a bit. "I'm surprised old Hades here doesn't recognize me. For you see, I am the Duke of Decay, the Master of the Macabre, the King of the Killed. _Ayam Aghoul's_ the name. Capturing spirits is my game."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy are both from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy. I hated to have Peter and MJ break-up offscreen post-Spider-Man 3, but that movie left them in a weird ambiguous place in the end and I needed to have Peter and Gwen be the couple for what I was planning. Those of you who know your Spider-Man will know exactly where this is going. My Spider-Fans out there probably also noticed that I'm doing the unforgivable: I'm adapting concepts from Sins Past, one of the most hated Spider-Man stories of all time. And yes, I know, I know, but I maintain that story had potential and Gwen/Norman is one of my favorite fucked up darkships to exploit.
> 
> Ayam Aghoul is from Aladdin the Animated Series.


	13. The Value of a Necklace

"Well now, I'd love to stay and catch up," Ayam Aghoul said as he crept over to Maleficent. "But Maleficent and I have a wedding to plan."

"I shall never be yours!" Maleficent hissed as she unleashed a blast of violet lightning from the tip of her staff.

The magic, however, did no harm to Aghoul.

"Did I forget to mention that one of the perks of our unholy matrimony is that you can't hurt me?" Aghoul said with a laugh. "You're bound to me now, Maleficent, my dear."

Hades's hands engulfed in flames. "Well your lil' spell doesn't keep you safe from _ME!_ "

"And that's our cue to run, my love," Aghoul said as he latched onto Maleficent's shoulders. "Ta-ta!"

Despite Hades's protests and the efforts of the other remaining Overtakers, Ayam Aghoul vanished from the Emerald City with Maleficent in tow. Only the echoes of the undead sorcerer's ghoulish laugh were left behind. Hades's temper flared up and burned its way through his human disguise, transforming him back into his godly form. With Maleficent taken from him and his powers useless in stopping Aghoul, Hades did the only thing he knew to do....

"GRAAAAAAAAGGGH!" Hades shouted in anguish as flames exploded in every direction around him, incinerating the patrons of the Emerald Eatery and most of the restaurant itself.

The other five Overtakers were tucked safely behind one of Loki's force fields to avoid the flames. Normally so much death and destruction would delight the Overtakers, but their thoughts were consumed by concern for their captured leader. It was Fish Mooney who first dared to approach Hades to place a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to get her back," Fish Mooney swore. "No one crosses our family without paying dearly for it."

"Here here," Russell chimed in.

"Yes, yes, pretty words of power," Loki said, "but we'll need a course of action to support them."

"You," Hades seethed as he turned to face Loki. "This is all YOUR FAULT! YOU were the one who made an enemy out of Mozenrath in the FIRST PLACE!"

Loki simply rolled his eyes. "I merely did what was necessary to free our friends from Mozenrath's grasp. If anyone is to blame for Mozenrath's opposition to us, it is Jafar. It was _his_ ill advised excursion into the Land of the Black Sands that started all of this."

"Speaking of, where _are_ Jafar and Hook?" Vanessa asked as she glanced at the burning remnants of the Emerald Eatery. "Obviously they were never in the restroom."

"Doubtless their disappearance is _also_ connected to Mozenrath," Doom pointed out. "The young sorcerer is resourceful to say the least. What I would like to know, however, is how he managed to follow us to this world. It required three keys of power to grant us passage. How could he and his allies have made it here in the first place?"

"Is that really top priority?" Russell asked. "They're here. So are we. End of story. Let's focus on how we stop them."

"Aghoul didn't use a Corridor of Darkness to whisk her away," Vanessa pointed out. "That means they're still somewhere in Oz. It's a big world, but perhaps we can start making it smaller."

"By which I hope you mean we start destroying every locale until we find the one where he's keepin' Maleficent," Russell said with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Mmm, I like the way you think," Vanessa said with a giggle as she imagined the carnage.

"Let's curb the chaos for the time being," Fish suggested. "We need to focus on the task at hand. Now there's got to be some magical way to track her down... some kind of..."

"Locator spell?" Loki offered. "Yes, well, that would require one of Maleficent's personal belongings and a competent and knowledgeable sorcerer to enact it. Fortunately, as per usual, I am three steps ahead of you."

Loki held up Maleficent's real ring dramatically and let it go. The ring began to fly off into the distance, leaving behind a trail of green energy. Loki flounced his cape and dramatically gestured in the direction the ring had gone.

"Applause is not expected, but it _is_ always warranted," Loki said with a smirk.

Hades snapped his fingers and summoned up his demonic looking black chariot. "All aboard ladies."

Fish and Vanessa joined Hades in the chariot as it took off into the sky, following the green energy path. In a blink of an eye, Russell took off after them, leaving Doom and Loki behind amidst the ruins of the Emerald Eatery.

"Do you truly believe that such a chore is worthwhile?" Doom asked.

"Rescuing Maleficent?" Loki asked. "Were I the same man I was before the Overtakers, my answer would firmly be no. Her defeat means a larger share of the cosmos for us. But now? I regretfully am far too attached to our allies to let any ill fate befall them."

Doom let out a sigh. "I fear my answer is much the same. Beforehand, I looked down on the Fantastic Fools for extolling such insignificant values as family and friendship. It was their weakness. Yet here I am, indulging in that very same weakness."

"I loathe irony," Loki spat. "Then again, is it _truly_ weakness to turn one's back on a valuable ally who will, in all likeliness, be freed from this capture in the end?"

"A fair point," Doom nodded. "And I will also add to it that neither of our solo efforts have born as much fruit as those in conjunction with the Overtakers. To allow Maleficent to be taken, we would likely allow our success to vanish with her."

"Then _that_ certainly cannot stand!" Loki declared.

"Indeed," Doom agreed.

Though neither were willing to admit it out loud, they both knew there was more to it than that. Doom would miss the intellectually stimulating conversations he shared with Maleficent as to the nature of magic and the universe itself, and Loki would miss the sheer devious mischief the wicked fairy was capable of creating and the way she smirked proudly over every atrocity. In short, they'd miss their _friend_.

Loki latched onto Doom tightly, and the mechanical whir of Doom's rocket boots echoed as they took off into the sky after their allies... after their _friends_.

* * *

Jafar shouted out in anger as he lashed out at the walls of his sandy prison. The evil sorcerer hurled comets and the raw power of entire galaxies at the black sand but to no avail. Hook sat off to the side, not even flinching when a streak of red would narrowly miss his head by an inch. Jafar couldn't kill him even if he wanted to, and they both knew that death was preferable to this prison. Hook knew Jafar's efforts were in vain, but he also knew that his boyfriend had to at least try so as to not feel useless.

"That wretched boy will suffer a fate worse than death at my hands!" Jafar swore. "If he thinks he's seen the last of me, he is sorely mistaken!"

The black sands bubbled and gurgled around them. The sky above them was cave-like yet blurry and ill-defined, and swirling formations of black sand that had solidified towered around them. Off to the side, a demonic wooden sculpture sat nestled in one of the formations, it's eerie face taunting the two Overtakers as though it knew they'd never escape.

"I loathe teenage sorcerer villains," Hook said with a sneer. "Mozenrath and Pan exude the same irritating smugness. Why these boys who've hardly a patch of hair on their chest think themselves on the level to play with men, I've no clue."

"Hmph, just wait until you're my age," Jafar said. "The youth become even _more_ grating."

"Technically, I'm older than you," Hook pointed out. "Spending over a hundred years on Neverland does wonders for the complexion."

"Unfortunately, you'll live to see yourself rot in this prison," Jafar hissed as he glanced around the area. "It took Loki seducing Mozenrath to free us the first time I was trapped in one of these spells."

"Well this time is going to be different," Hook said as he started wading through the black sludge, "for one simple matter."

"And what might that be?" Jafar asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"This time you've got _me_ with you," Hook boasted.

Jafar scoffed at that. "My dear sea-snake, I hardly think _you_ possess the power to break free."

"Au contraire," Hook replied. "There's nothing more valuable than the keen eye of a pirate. It's a clever trap: sturdy and resistant to even the most powerful of sorcerers. It would be most unfortunate for Mozenrath were he to accidentally be ensnared by his own trap, yes?"

"A delicious idea for revenge, but what use does that have for us now?" Jafar asked.

"Ah but consider, what's the first precaution you need to make when designing a trap that you yourself could be caught in?" Hook asked.

Jafar thought for a moment before answering, "A way out."

"Precisely," Hook said. "And there's exactly one thing in this area that's out of place."

Hook gestured to the demonic statue, and Jafar gasped when he noticed it. The sorcerer sloshed through the sand to get a closer look at the sculpture.

"It looks like a ship's figurehead to me," Hook suggested.

"Not just _any_ figurehead," Jafar remarked as he examined it closely. "It's the figurehead of _The_ _Black Viper_."

"Is that name supposed to mean anything to me?" Hook asked.

" _The Black Viper_ was a ship sailed by evil sorcerers long ago," Jafar explained. "Its figurehead was carved from a dark enchanted tree that served as a portal to the evil Netherworld. Legend has it that simply touching the figurehead would transport one to the Netherworld in an instant."

"Will the Corridors of Darkness come to our aid in that realm?" Hook asked.

"No," Jafar said as he shook his head. "But there are other ways out of the Netherworld. We need only find one."

"Then shall we proceed onward?" Hook suggested.

Jafar nodded, and the two men placed a hand against the cool wood of the figurehead. A flash of light and puff of smoke later, Jafar and Hook vanished from the black sandy prison.

* * *

The battlefield was soaked with blood. The Spartan soldiers fought with all their military might to avenge the death of Ares, yet they were no match for the armies of the Overtakers. Between the Heartless, Maleficent's goblins, Russell's werewolves, gnarled trees brought to life by Grimhilde's magic, and their own vanguard of human soldiers assembled from various Overtakers, Sparta never had a prayer's chance at victory... not that their God of War existed any longer to pray to. Sparta burned and smoldered as the last remnants of the Spartan army were being slaughtered by the Overtakers' minions.

Grimhilde strutted elegantly through the carnage, not even blinking or reacting in any way at the slaughter taking place around her. She was focused completely on her target. She stormed up the steps of the palace. Every lone soldier that attempted to subdue her progress was halted by the arrival of a Heartless or living tree. The doors of the palace throne room were thrown open by a gust of wind. King Menelaus and Queen Helen both gasped in horror as Grimhilde entered their audience chamber.

"We have surrendered," Menelaus said somberly. "There is no need for further bloodshed."

The clopping of Grimhilde's heels against the marble floor created an echo that was slow and steady in contrast to the king and queen's racing heartbeats.

"You've crossed Olympus itself," Grimhilde said severely. "Do you truly believe that your suffering ends with your defeat?"

Menelaus bowed his head in shame. "I thought my actions to be the will of the gods. I see now how mistaken I was. Take my life if you must, but spare my family and my kingdom."

Helen, however, was far less resigned to her fate. "What have you done with my friend Hercules?"

Grimhilde's eyes flashed at that outburst. "Why nothing at all. He fled like the coward he is upon the death of his father."

"I don't believe you!" Helen snapped. "Hercules would never abandon us!"

Grimhilde walked over to Helen and gently caressed the young woman's face. "The famous Helen of Troy. The face that launched a thousand ships. Such rare and exquisite beauty that humbled even fair Aphrodite."

Menelaus started to rise from his throne to defend his queen, but Grimhilde's black magic held him firmly in place. He could only watch the scene in front of him. Helen gasped in horror as Grimhilde's queenly beauty contorted and twisted into the form of an old hag.

"An apple for the fairest," Grimhilde said as she produced a ruby red apple from her cloak. "Go on, have a bite!"

Helen shrieked and attempted to run away, only for the burning and crumbling ceiling above her to collapse on top of her as she ran away from the old hag. Grimhilde laughed wickedly as Helen was crushed to death and breathed her last.

"Buried alive!" Grimhilde declared as she laughed at the beautiful girl's misfortune.

"HELEN!" Menelaus sobbed as he tried to reach out for her.

"The apple would have been a kinder ending," Grimhilde mused as she tucked the fruit back into her cloak. "Now then, I suppose you have your eternal suffering to attend to."

Two living trees sprouted up and seized the sobbing Menelaus. The former king of Sparta was dragged away, kicking and screaming for his lost love. As Grimhilde basked in her victory in quashing the rebels in Olympus, Diablo frantically flew into the chamber and landed on Grimhilde's shoulder. The raven began to caw and chirp, and Grimhilde listened intently (she, after all, was fluent in the language of the birds).

"Maleficent has been captured?" Grimhilde asked. "By _Mozenrath?_ That troublesome boy! I should have destroyed him the moment I discovered he was hiding in Far Far Away!"

Grimhilde scratched under Diablo's chin with her boney fingers.

"Do not fear, my pretty," Grimhilde said. "I shall ensure Maleficent is set free myself if need be."

* * *

The Netherworld was a drab and dreary place. It existed as a dimension running parallel to the land of the living in most areas, with much of the same topography but none of its structure. Because of this, Jafar and Hook passed through most physical objects they encountered as if they were merely ghosts, which, given their current environment, was not a stretch to assume.

"I thought you said we'd be able to find a portal out of here," Hook whined. "We've been traversing this land for hours and still nothing."

Jafar gritted his teeth. "If only Maleficent hadn't traded away my Eye of Gazeem to the Witches of Morva. I could have gotten us out within moments of our arrival."

"Mozenrath _had_ to have some means of escaping the Netherworld," Hook pointed out. "Can we not simply do whatever he would have done?"

"Unfortunately, Mozenrath is a necromancer, meaning his very magic is tied to the undead," Jafar explained. "His gauntlet is very likely capable of creating portals into and out of the Netherworld."

Hook let out an exasperated sigh. "So we've traded one prison for another."

"We _will_ find a portal out," Jafar asserted. "But it might take some time."

Hook let out a sigh as he sat down on a large rock... only to fall right through it.

"I bloody hate this world," Hook said as he rose to his feet.

Hook felt the pinch of his necklace pulling at his chest hair. Normally he kept it positioned to avoid that exact scenario, but the fall caused the necklace to shift and get tangled. Hook began to fiddle with the pendants: one skull and crossbones and one cutlass. This did not go unnoticed by Jafar.

"You've had that necklace since I first met you," Jafar remarked. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen you fully clothed without it."

"It was a gift from my mother," Hook claimed. "The one thing I have left of her."

Jafar stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It occurs to me that I know very little of your mother."

"Well that makes two of us," Hook said somberly. "She died when Liam and I were very young."

"A pity," Jafar said. "Having met your father, I know you hardly take after him. I can only assume you resemble your mother more."

"Aye, that I do," Hook nodded.

Jafar picked up the skull and dagger pendants and began to study them. "A fine silver. It would fetch a fair price indeed. The craftsmanship is intricate, and... Hmm... interesting."

"What?" Hook asked, suddenly concerned.

"Have you ever noticed that the skull has a slit along its side the perfect size to insert the sword?" Jafar asked.

Hook shook his head. "I can't say I have. My primary concern always revolved around inserting my sword in a different sort of hole."

Jafar shot Hook an exasperated glare at the innuendo before continuing. "Yes, well, I suppose we've wasted enough time as it is."

Jafar proceeded onwards down the path ahead, keeping a watchful eye peeled for any portals to the Land of the Living. Hook, however, stayed where he was. Despite his innuendo, he was intrigued by Jafar's observation regarding the necklace. Figuring it couldn't hurt to test his boyfriend's theory, Hook fumbled with the necklace (trying to insert the sword with one hand proved more difficult than he cared to admit) and connected the two pieces. Immediately upon coming together, the necklace sparked with green energy that shocked Hook.

"What the devil?" Hook asked.

The necklace fired a beam of green light into the space directly in front of Hook, generating some sort of emerald vortex. Jafar ran to Hook's side in time to see the vortex opening a window to a strange looking area that resembled a bright purple cloud surrounded by debris.

Jafar held his snake staff in front of him defensively as he examined the window. "How did this-"

"The necklace," Hook answered before Jafar could finish. "I connected the two parts like you said, and it created...."

Hook gestured at the window with his right hand, unsure of exactly what to call it.

"It's not magic," Jafar mused. "I would have felt that power inside of the necklace if it was. This is... something entirely different."

Hook reached out cautiously with his right hand. When he touched the window, he could feel a thin energy sensation on its surface, almost akin to touching the surface of water. Hook drew his hand back instinctively, not especially eager to risk losing his good hand. However, curiosity got the better of the pirate. After all, his mother wouldn't have left him with something that would hurt him. Hook stuck his hand through the window, and he could see it unharmed on the other side. Satisfied that there was no risk, Jafar pressed forward through the portal ahead of Hook, stepping into the strange world. Hook followed after his boyfriend, and once he did, the portal behind the two men vanished and the necklace unlatched itself.

"No turning back now, I suppose," Hook said with a nervous sneer.

Hook took another step forward towards Jafar, only to realize the unique state of the ground beneath his feet. It appeared as if he was standing in midair, with no indication that there was any floor at all. Whenever he took a step, his feet splashed as if he were walking on water, though the ground beneath him was as solid as stone. The entire physical reality of this world seemed to be rooted in contradiction. Jafar raised his staff aloft, and its eyes began to glow red as he summoned up a Corridor of Darkness.

"Excellent!" Jafar said with a triumphant laugh. "The Corridors come to our aid in this world. Now we can return to our allies and _destroy_ that wretched Mozenrath!"

Hook, however, was only half listening. He walked past the Corridor of Darkness and began studying the galactic cloud swirling in the distance. This world was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, yet his mother's necklace brought him here for some reason.

"Are you _listening_ to me?" Jafar hissed in frustration.

"Go on ahead without me, love," Hook said. "I'll catch up later."

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not leaving you behind," Jafar said. "Now let's GO!"

"Jafar, listen to me a moment, will you?" Hook asked. "The portal to this world was opened by the one thing my mother left for me. I have to know at least what this world is and why I was brought here. It _must_ be tied to whatever secrets Maleficent is keeping from me."

Jafar rolled his eyes, sighed, and closed the Corridor of Darkness.

"Very well, we'll make a short detour," Jafar relented.

"I can handle this on my own," Hook insisted. "You can go back after Mozenrath if that's what you want."

Jafar, however, simply shook his head. "I'm not leaving you behind in an unknown world. What type of partner do you take me for? Besides, the last time I left you alone, you were captured by Peter Pan. I'll not have a repeat of that performance."

"Pan's _dead_ ," Hook grumbled under his breath. "But very well then. If you insist."

"I _do_ insist," Jafar answered.

Hook and Jafar looked up at the bright shining cloud up ahead that seemed to be surrounded by twinkling lights.

"Nowhere to go but forward," Jafar said, gesturing to the cloud.

"Full sail forward into the unknown!" Hook declared with an excited grin as he began to walk towards the light.

* * *

The doors of the Western Castle flew open, and Aghoul escorted the reluctant Maleficent into the foyer.

"What do you think of this place as the venue for our unholy matrimony?" Aghoul asked as the doors slammed behind him. "It once belonged to a Wicked Witch who terrorized this world! She ended up getting herself liquidated by a little girl, so it was gruesomely abandoned when we found it!"

"The fact that you believe that this farce will transpire at all is certainly amusing," Maleficent sneered.

"Oh, my corpse-flower, don't be that way," Aghoul said in mock disappointment. "Our marriage can be bliss or it can be _excruciating_ torment. I know which one I'd prefer."

"As do I," Maleficent snapped.

"Don't be like that, Maleficent," Mozenrath said as he descended the staircase, followed by Mim, the Huntsman, and Mysterio. "Here I went to so much trouble to arrange all of this for you. A little appreciation would be warranted."

"Do you truly believe this will end well for you?" Maleficent asked. "The _only_ reason that you have survived as long as you have is because _I_ have allowed it. Yet after this fool's errand, you can be certain that your life is forfeit."

"And yet, I'm the one with the power in this situation," Mozenrath taunted.

"Yes, he has the upper hand... despite trading his last one for power," Aghoul said with a giggle.

Mozenrath cringed. "If I didn't need you for this scheme, I'd banish you back to the Netherworld for that pun."

"Oh come now, boy, you know you like me," Aghoul teased.

"I know _I_ do," Mim chimed in. "Such a shame a face that hideously gruesome is wasted on an ingrate like the lesser witch here."

Maleficent simply rolled her eyes at that insult. She and Mim both knew that her powers were far superior to the short witch's, even if Mim refused to admit it out loud.

Aghoul blew Mim a kiss. "I'll still make time for you, Mimsy. That much I promise."

"What do you even hope to accomplish?" Maleficent asked. "Is my public humiliation all you desire?"

"It's a perk," Mozenrath answered. "But no. You see, when you and Aghoul are married till _un_ -death do you part, what's _yours_ becomes _his_. Olympus. Hollow Bastion. The Overtaken Kingdom. Even the Overtakers themselves. Titles to all of those are included in the fine print of your dowry. In exchange for letting him free into the Land of the Living, Ayam Aghoul has kindly agreed to grant your dowry to _moi_. In one brief ceremony, I'll become the most powerful man in the universe!"

Maleficent sneered. "You think a formal title grants you power? You shall never reclaim my territory from the Overtakers."

"You know better than I do that there's ancient magic in rights of ownership," Mozenrath warned. "Even still, I always have back-up precautions. Yzma and Miratrix are securing for me the power that will turn the tides of the coming conflict in _my_ favor. Now then, I think there's been quite enough jabber back and forth. Let's get these two hitched!"

"What? _NOW?_ " Mysterio asked. "As in _right now?_ "

"Yes, that was the point of stopping my gloating there," Mozenrath said with a sigh.

"Excuse me, but I was promised the opportunity to stage an extravagant wedding ceremony!" Mysterio said. "This dark and dreary castle needs a lot more pizzazz!"

"What part of 'I'm going to become the most powerful wizard in the universe as soon as they get married so it needs to happen immediately' did you miss, Mysterio?" Mozenrath asked with a groan.

"I _demand_ the time to throw a fabulous wedding that will give those pesky royal weddings a run for their money!" Mysterio shouted.

"That is nothing but a waste of time," the Huntsman asserted.

"I actually think it sounds fun," Mim said with a cackle.

"Not you too," Mozenrath groaned.

"As the groom, I third the notion of an extravagant wedding!" Aghoul said. "You only get married thirteen times, you know!"

"Yzma would want us to throw a flashy wedding too, and she'd have a fit if she found out we had one without any glitter," Mysterio pointed out. "So it's really four against two. You're outvoted Mozenrath!"

Mozenrath let out a long exasperated sigh before nodding. "I _suppose_ to celebrate my newfound seat of power, a little pageantry _is_ warranted."

Mysterio and Madam Mim exchanged high fives over that decision.

"You realized this only buys the Overtakers time to intervene," the Huntsman pointed out.

"We have three of their own as hostages," Mozenrath said as he twiddled the black marble around in his fingers. "I'm _not_ afraid of the Overtakers."

* * *

Hook struggled to keep from slipping on the snowy ground as he cut down two more airborne Invisible Heartless. Jafar managed to redirect the Angel Star Heartless's swirling vortexes of energy back upon them, clearing the area of the remaining Heartless.

"I thought the Heartless were supposed to listen to _us_ ," Hook bemoaned.

"This place is too close to the darkness," Jafar explained. "They've been emboldened and empowered by the nature of this world."

Jafar fired a blast of energy from his staff to clear out the chunk of gummi block debris blocking their path.

"This place is quite obviously the ruins of a world that was destroyed," Jafar said. "Yet those very ruins have been overtaken by powerful dark forces beyond even those of the Overtakers."

"So perhaps my mother had ties to this world before its destruction and corruption," Hook suggested.

"Or perhaps she had a hand in it," Jafar offered.

"It's hard to imagine that my mother was ever party to such devastation," Hook replied.

"Why?" Jafar asked. "You've no memories of her, and if Maleficent's interest in you stems from this connection, I'd wager there's _far_ more to your dear mother than meets the eye."

"I suppose every man wishes to believe his mother a saint," Hook said wistfully as he sighed.

"Speak for yourself," Jafar scoffed. "I truly wish mine was more ruthless."

"Yes, well, you're the anomaly that proves the rule," Hook said as he rolled his eyes. "Shall we venture forth?"

The two villains proceeded onward as they passed through a variety of ruined pathways and snow covered mounds of debris until they arrived at a cliff overlooking a large drop off into blackness. Off in the distance, eleven platforms surrounded by stalagmites resembling teeth towered amidst the darkness. Hook extended his telescope to get a closer look at the platforms. The nine center platforms each had a column of light erupting from their centers. The first eight were purple whilst the final one was green.

"A strange world to be certain," Hook remarked.

"It certainly seems to have seen better days," Jafar added.

Hook took a step forward, only to accidentally kick a metal orb sitting amongst the snow. The orb rolled a bit, but the friction of the snow prevented it from going too far. Hook knelt down and picked it up, studying the strange markings. The orb reminded Hook of the Treasure Sphere that he and Jafar opened in search of Maui's fish hook long ago.

"Curious," Hook grumbled under his breath.

"What have you found?" Jafar asked.

"I've no clue," Hook shrugged. "But I gather it's important."

"Important to _what?_ " Jafar asked. "Aside from the Heartless, this entire world seems vacant. What use could that little bauble be?"

"A secret likely to be revealed upon further inspection," Hook replied as he gestured towards the platforms on the other side of the chasm. "Can you get us over there for a closer look?"

Jafar rolled his eyes. "That you even had to ask is an insult."

Jafar began to muster the magic to teleport them away when a laser beam struck him from behind, causing him to stagger forward. From behind a snow covered gummi block, a horrific creature that looked to be a cross between a spider and a crab emerged and lunged for Hook. Hook barely had time to unsheathe his sword before the creature was on top of him. Hook rolled out of the way of the spider-crab's claws and swung back at the creature with his sword. The spider-crab skittered away from the sword, but it immediately afterwards fell to its knees writhing in pain as red lightning crackled around it. Chains wrapped themselves around the creature's body, holding it in place.

"As a genie, I cannot kill a living creature," Jafar said with a sneer. "But you'd be surprised what you can live through!"

"I, however, have no such limitations," Hook warned as he placed the tip of his cutlass against the spider-crab's neck. "You're the first living thing we've found on this world. Our journey has been met with only Heartless in our way. Now start talking before I decide to indulge my hunger for broiled crab legs."

"I've been marooned on thisssss world for some time," the spider-crab answered. "Ansem promised to return for me and to grant me a place in his true Organization if I helped him."

The mention of Ansem caused Jafar and Hook to exchange a look of intrigue.

"Ansem is dead, as is the Organization," Jafar explained. "They met their ultimate demise at _our_ hands!"

The spider-crab sneered. "I suppose all for the better."

"A scrap like you would have hardly been worth the trouble," Jafar hissed.

"Not a scrap; it's _Scroop_ ," he corrected.

"What is this world?" Hook asked. "And why is it vacant?"

"A few yearsssss back, this world was the home to the loot of a thousand worlds," Scroop answered. "Treasure Planet."

"The trove of Captain Nathaniel Flint," Jafar offered. "How intriguing. And what became of the treasure?"

"An insufferable boy and my weak-hearted captain triggered Flint's booby trap," Scroop explained. "The entire world was destroyed in a fiery inferno."

"Yes, I certainly would have guessed that this world ended in fire," Hook remarked as he glanced suspiciously at the snow.

"Ansem felt that the remains of the planet would make for a fitting gateway for the Heartless to pass through," Scroop explained. "He found me floating aimlessly beyond the atmosphere of the planet and enlisted my aid in transforming it into a world of darkness. He called this place the End of the World."

"And what use is a powerless whelp like you in restructuring an entire world?" Jafar asked.

"Very little," Scroop admitted. "Ansem's other ally, the demon god Chernabog, did most of the heavy lifting in that regard. My role was predominantly one of grounds keeping and ensuring that the Heartless had room to thrive."

"Ansem had to have had a _reason_ why he wanted these ruins for his Heartless paradise," Hook insisted. "What was it?"

"You expect me to know that man'ssssss mind?" Scroop asked. "I've no idea."

Hook scowled. "Very well. I've always wanted to cut open a crab with me hook."

Hook pressed the tip of his hook against Scroop's forehead as he leaned in dangerously close.

"No, NO! WAIT!" Scroop urged.

"Ah, there we are," Hook said with a chuckle. "Did I jog your memory?"

"Yesssss," Scroop admitted. "He was drawn to a portal device built by Captain Flint. Though the machine was destroyed amidst the destruction of the planet, he was able to harness its energies to create the World Terminus across the canyon and the doorway to the Realm of Darkness."

Hook removed his hook and rose back to his full height before turning to face Jafar.

"A portal, just like the one opened by my mother's necklace," Hook pointed out. "That can't be a coincidence."

"Indeed," Jafar nodded. "And now the question remains: what is Maleficent's interest in this place?"

"A question I intend to ask her at the end of my blade if necessary," Hook swore.

"And I suppose I'll find some way to bring you back from death a third time," Jafar said with a sly smile, earning a glare from Hook.

As a Corridor of Darkness opened in front of them, Jafar placed a hand on the small of Hook's back and escorted him towards the dark portal. Scroop's chains, however, held tight.

"Wait! WAIT!" Scroop called out. "You can't leave me like this! The Heartless will consume me!"

Jafar and Hook turned around, glanced at Scroop, shrugged, and exited through the Corridor of Darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Black Viper and The Netherworld are both from Aladdin: the Animated Series, featured prominently in the episode "Sea No Evil."
> 
> Helen of Troy is from Hercules: the Animated Series. Menelaus is the king of Sparta and Helen's husband from Greek mythology, most notable in the stories of the Trojan War.
> 
> Scroop is from Treasure Planet, as is the world Treasure Planet. The End of the World is from Kingdom Hearts, and, yes, I'm making those two worlds the same place. The idea for that came from my friend JCmorrigan who originally came up with it to use in her fanfic Elements of Harmony. Her current project is a fic called Taking Back the Crown that you should totally check out!


	14. Season of the Witch

Hades landed his chariot on the edge of the woods and dismissed it once Fish and Vanessa exited. Russell, Doom, and Loki joined them almost immediately after. The skies were an odd shade of purple as if this region was trapped somewhere between twilight and nightfall. The trees up ahead were gnarled and demented looking, and an old wooden sign with an unsettling smiling face drawn onto it was posted at the entrance of the forest. Written across the sign in big white letters were the words: "HAUNTED FOREST / WITCHES CASTLE 1 MILE, I'D TURN BACK IF I WERE YOU!"

"How inviting," Loki remarked with a smirk.

"We are well into the Western Lands," Doctor Doom pointed out. "Mozenrath and his allies must be holed up in the former castle of the Wicked Witch of the West."

"I don't care where they are, I'm going to find them and BURN THEIR HEARTS OUT!" Hades swore.

"I'll rip 'em all out for ya," Russell volunteered.

"As much as I love a good heart-rip, let's not be hasty," Vanessa interjected. "We need a plan of attack."

"The sea witch speaks wisely," Loki said with a nod. "Mozenrath and his fools know that we are en route. Limited though they may be, I would not expect a path free of traps."

"Traps? _TRAPS?_ " Hades asked. "You five collectively command _more_ power and cunning than the rest of the universe COMBINED, and you're willing to let a few _TRAPS_ stop you from rescuing the woman who I'll remind you SAVED ALL OF YOUR DERRIÉRES A HUNDRED TIMES OVER?"

"Hades, calm down," Fish urged as she placed a sympathetic hand on his forearm (and added a touch of toxin to her words to make Hades more receptive to them). "No one is talking about abandoning Maleficent. We just need to make sure we're not barreling our way right into a situation that'll make things for Maleficent go from bad to worse."

Hades sighed but nodded. "Yeah, yeah, you've got the right idea. I'm just worried about her is all. And I'm NOT supposed to worry about _her_. She's not some D.I.D. that punks like Jerkules have to save. She's Maleficent, THE Maleficent. And for Mozenbrat to drop the contents of the Augean Stables on that reputation? It just BURNS me up!"

"It gets to me too," Fish nodded in understanding. "Maybe one of us should scout ahead and report back."

"I do believe that's my cue," Russell volunteered as he took off at vampiric speeds into the forest.

The remaining five Overtakers stood around, waiting in silence for Russell to return. Suddenly, a pungent odor began to fill the air. Hades and Doom had no idea what to make of the smell, and though Fish and Vanessa recognized the distinct scent, they were perplexed as to why they were smelling it in the the middle of a forest. All four turned to see the source of the smell: Loki applying black nail polish. Loki quickly realized that all of his companions were currently staring at him.

"What?" he asked. "Did you think my fingernails were naturally this color? It takes effort to look as sinister as I do."

"I don't think I even have to say it," Vanessa said with a chuckle.

"He's made it too easy at this point," Fish agreed. "Not even whales sing this much."

"Maybe it's time to switch our target to the one who gets freaky with him," Vanessa suggested.

"Leave me out of your schoolgirl rhyme," Doom insisted.

Before Fish or Vanessa could pester Doom further, Russell returned to the other five Overtakers.

"Alright, here's what's what," Russell began. "The castle is surrounded by... Loki, did you paint your nails while I was gone?"

"Russell, babe, priorities! Get some!" Hades insisted.

"Right, of course," Russell nodded. "Mozenrath's got magic detecting lampposts set up all around the castle. And, yes, I checked, they _do_ in fact register vampires as magical. If one of those things lights up, Mamlucks out the wazoo start to pop up, and to make matters complicated, that Huntsman bastard has hooked them all up with anti-magic technology. And apparently he knows his vampire lore too. Sterling silver blades on their weapons, UV radiation in the blasts, and a pungent ring of garlic around all of their necks. I was lucky to get away from those shamblin' pricks."

"Were you able to get inside the castle?" Doom asked.

Russell shook his head. "It's a mortal home, unfortunately. The pesky rules of bein' a vampire mean I need an invitation from the master of the castle to enter the premises."

"Well I don't need an invitation to crash this party," Hades declared as he started to walk in the direction of the castle.

"Now hold on a minute," Russell insisted. "Did you miss the part where the Mamlucks were tricked out with new weapons designed to kill anything inhuman?"

"They can _try_ ," Hades said as he stormed off.

Fish furrowed her brow. "But-"

"If Hades wishes to get himself imprisoned in black sand, let him," Loki said as he rolled his eyes. "We can rescue the buffoon after we successfully create a plan that will allow us to free Maleficent. Also, may I remind you that we've currently no inkling as to how to break Aghoul's spell."

"Aghoul has trapped Maleficent within a mystical engagement," Doom pointed out. "And what is an engagement but a _contract_? Loki. Ursula. You two are the foremost experts on magical contracts. How do we _defeat_ the contract?"

Loki and Vanessa both thought about that for a moment.

"Most of the contracts I work with involve an actual _written_ contract," Vanessa explained. "If I could read the terms and conditions, I could find you a loophole in a second."

"I think the question to determine that loophole lies in whatever Mozenrath's motives might be," Loki proposed. "He obviously wants what the Overtakers have and believes that his contract of marriage can place our spoils under his control."

"Well the Overtakers' Charter will keep his grubby little gauntlet off any of that," Vanessa pointed out. "I wrote the terms and conditions of our faction's collective ownership rights in explicit detail. No marriage is going to get him around that red tape."

"Perhaps there's a provision in our charter we can use to nullify the marriage?" Loki suggested. "Do we have any bylaws regarding marriages or political unions and what they mean regarding faction membership?"

"It's a good idea for a future amendment, but no," Vanessa said. "Ugh. See, I almost made a provision about revisionary rights in the event that a party became deceased, which would have been _perfect_ to use against the walking coffin contents. But I realized it'd be too messy regarding our undead and resurrected members and decided against it."

"So there's likely no power in the charter to make the wedding itself void ab initio," Loki said with a scowl. "But if we cannot _erase_ the marriage, we can still _dissolve_ it. If his necklace can create an engagement without the consent of the bride, surely we can create divorce papers without the consent of the groom."

"Possible... very possible," Vanessa said as she considered it. "Though Aghoul's forced engagement was created by Maleficent herself putting on the necklace. That act _was_ the consent to the contract even though Maleficent didn't have any clue what she was getting into. We'd still need to find some way to get Aghoul _and_ Maleficent to sign off on the contract, even if it's unwillingly."

"I've never tried my toxin on a dead man before," Fish chimed in. "But I could order him to sign if I could lay a hand on him."

"Which means we'll still need to be able to physically enter the castle," Loki pointed out.

"And that's gonna be a feat in and of itself," Russell reiterated. "I still can't get in to help y'all without an invitation from the rightful owner."

"So we need the Wicked Witch of the West," Doom remarked. "How utterly inconvenient that we need the help of a dead woman and our Lord of the Dead has left us on a fool's errand."

"If we do find a way to get her, that _could_ solve our problems getting past the Mamlucks and whatever traps Mozenrath has in place," Fish suggested. "As the master of that castle, surely she knows a secret way inside of it."

"Ursula, you brought me back from the dead," Russell pointed out. "Can't you do the same for Elphaba's ugly evil counterpart?"

"Not without her soul," Vanessa explained. "I can create a new body, easy as crab cake. Conjuring a whole _soul_ though? Forget about it! Even Maleficent herself could only manage to create a revenant when she resurrected Hook."

"Then we'd best start looking for another way," Loki suggested.

" _Curses_ , I was really hoping you'd pick me," a harsh and raspy voice chimed in.

When the Overtakers realized that none of them had spoken, they all jumped back with a start.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Russell shouted.

An eerie shadow rose up against a large tree near to where the voice had spoken. The shadow depicted a woman's silhouette with a pointed conical wide-brimmed hat a top her head.

Doom was the first to notice the obvious. "The Wicked Witch of the West, I presume."

"Indeed," she answered with a cackle. "Well... as much as I _can_ be since I've been reduced to nothing more than a spook amongst this haunted forest."

"What's the old phrase? Speak of the devil and he shall appear?" Loki brought up.

"Good point," Vanessa nodded. "My dear Wicked Witch, if you'll agree to my itsy bitsy bargain, I can restore you to flesh and blood with my magic."

"A tempting offer, but there's a faster way," the Wicked Witch's shadow declared. "You see, after my death, the flying monkeys took to the wind and scattered about, returning to their natural habitats. Well, all did save for _one_. The captain of the guard stayed behind. He remained loyal to me and contained my melted remains within a black cast-iron crucible. My old body can reform, but it needs a little kick to jump-start it."

"And what might that be?" Loki asked.

"Vampire blood!" the Witch replied with a wicked laugh. "Better than mother's milk!"

"A private conference, please," Vanessa requested of her companions.

Doom nodded and cast a green energy wave over the five Overtakers. As far as the Witch could tell, the five Overtakers just began to stand as still as statues. In reality, Doom summoned them all to a psychic plain, which appeared to the five as an all white blank space with only a conference table for them to sit at.

"Okay... I thought nothing else could surprise me at this point," Fish said with a light chuckle.

"We will not be eavesdropped on here," Doom insisted. "This is a meeting ground of our minds."

"So I can make anything I want happen here?" Russell asked as he began to imagine attractive cabana boys rubbing suntan lotion on his back, causing the scene to come to life.

"Focus, please," Vanessa requested as she used a spell to dissipate Russell's imagined servants. "We need to discuss what to do about the Wicked Witch."

"What about her?" Fish asked. "We need her to help us rescue Maleficent, and we've brought home stray Overtakers over less."

"I'm inclined to agree," Loki admitted. "Though her arrival _was_ certainly convenient."

"She likely was listening to our conversation from the very beginning," Doom pointed out. "Yet she waited to make her presence known until _after_ we suggested granting her something she wanted."

"True, though can we hold any contempt towards her for being self-motivated?' Loki asked. "After all, we are all selfish and self-absorbed in our own ways."

"I'm more concerned about Russell bringing her back and us having no insurance to force her to help us," Vanessa explained. "I'd feel better getting her to sign a contract with me. Then I _know_ she'd be trustworthy."

"You speak as though we couldn't force her to do our bidding either way," Loki pointed out.

"We're wastin' time here," Russell said. "Let's bring back the old bat, and then if she gives us any trouble, Fish can take control of her mind."

"I agree with Russell," Fish said.

"Very well, if you are certain of your abilities, then Doom agrees," Doom interjected.

Vanessa sighed. "Oh alright. We bring back the Witch. But can we _please_ leave this one behind once we go home? There's already too many witches back in the Eminence Palace, and I'm not exactly loving the new blood coming for my role."

"You'll always be the number one witch in my view," Fish assured her girlfriend.

Doom dismissed the psychic plane, and all five Overtakers returned to their bodies. The Witch's shadow eagerly awaited their reply.

"We've decided to grant your request," Vanessa informed the shadow. "But know this: if you betray us, your suffering _will_ be unending."

The Witch laughed triumphantly. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my pretty!"

* * *

"And here we have the Hall of Empty Melodies, our castle's ballroom," Steve narrated as he walked his trio of guests through the castle.

With the core Overtakers off in Oz, Steve Newlin had taken it upon himself to handle the task of showing around visiting dignitaries with an interest in aligning with the Overtakers. After all, courting political favor was a specialty of his, and he never shied away from being useful.

"My girls would simply adore it," Lady Tremaine remarked as she studied the room. "Perhaps Drizella could perform here for one of your events."

The Big Bad Wolf cringed at that. "Oof. That'd be enough to spoil my appetite, even if you were servin' porkchops."

Lady Tremaine scoffed. "And what does a glorified throw rug such as yourself know about the fine arts?"

"We here at the Overtakers accommodate villains and artists of all stylings," Steve interjected, trying to smooth things over.

"Art is a lovely thing, true," Ratcliffe said, "but what of the most important thing? How much GOLD do you have? Your castle is certainly lacking in glitter."

"We actually have mines accumulating minerals from multiple worlds," Steve explained. "Gold, diamonds, orichalcum, you name it, we've got it! The castle is designed to fit our leaders' aesthetic preferences. In fact, just yesterday-"

But Steve's story was cut short by a Corridor of Darkness emerging in the middle of the ballroom, and Jafar and Hook stepping out from it.

"Ah, Jafar, so good to see you again," Lady Tremaine said with a curtsy to emphasize to both of her fellow dignitaries that she and she alone among them had previously rubbed elbows with the Overtakers.

"A pleasure, I'm sure," Jafar said with a dismissive wave. "But we've other, more important matters with which to attend."

"Indeed you do!" Grimhilde declared as she hobbled into the ballroom in her old hag form. "Maleficent requires your help, and the three of us must speak immediately...."

"... Alone," she added with a pointed glare shot towards Steve's tour group.

"Ah! Yes! Follow me, folks," Steve said, picking up on the hint. "Wait till you see our armory! We have equipment from all across the universe!"

"All the better to chop pigs up into pieces!" the Big Bad Wolf said with a laugh as he and the others were quickly escorted out.

"What's this all about then?" Hook asked Grimhilde once the others were out of earshot. "Have Maleficent and the others returned from Oz?"

"No," she answered, "and shouldn't you two have been with her?"

"We were thrown off course by Mozenrath, who, I might add, I still need to make pay _severely_ for his transgressions!" Jafar answered.

Grimhilde scowled. "Oh he _shall_ pay! He's done _far_ worse than banish you two. He's trapped Maleficent in a forced magical engagement to an undead corpse named Ayam Aghoul!"

"Bloody Hell," Hook cursed. "We have to save her. If we don't...."

Hook didn't have to finish that sentence for Jafar to understand his meaning. They needed to save Maleficent, not only to save their leader and friend, but also to learn what she knew about Hook's mother and his connection to Treasure Planet.

Jafar growled. " _Ayam Aghoul_. That _would_ explain why Mozenrath's method of escape was a portal to the Netherworld."

"You know of him?" Hook asked.

"Yes, he's a disgusting lecherous little toad," Jafar answered. "He's long been a nuisance to Agrabah, though he's certainly a lesser one of Aladdin's adversaries in comparison to _me_."

Grimhilde rolled her eyes. "Well if you know this cretin, then you must know a way to rid ourselves of his presence."

"You say that as if I've made an enemy of everyone in Agrabah," Jafar said with a scoff. "I may be a difficult man to love, but one can only foster so much animosity. I know only of him through reputation; I have not encountered him myself. The only person I know who could even possibly know how to defeat him is... is... Oh _no_."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Hook asked.

"I know _exactly_ who can help us stop Aghoul," Jafar said, "the only sorceress who ever managed to banish the zombie back to the Netherworld."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Hook asked.

Jafar groaned. "No, because it means that I'm going to have to speak to my _sister_."

* * *

A few miles away from the Western Castle, there was a cave tucked amongst the mountains that the Wicked Witch's shadow led the Overtakers to. The self-inflicted hole in Russell's wrist dripped blood into the cauldron containing the Wicked Witch of the West's remains.

"Just how much blood does witchy-poo need?" Russell asked.

"I am not certain," Loki admitted. "As much as it takes to see any change."

"Look! Look!" Fish declared. "She's beginning to take solid form!"

And indeed she was. Russell pulled back his arm and closed the wound on his wrist. The formerly liquefied witch was becoming less like water and more like a strange gelatin like figure ever expanding. The witch's form tumbled out of the cauldron and began to grow taller, gaining more and more definition. Her eerie green skin regained color, and her black dress and pointed hat seemingly grew right out of her very flesh. Within minutes, standing before the two men was the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Un-fuckin'-believable," Russell said with a shake of his head, "she's real too."

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Doom said as he stepped forward. "We have done as you asked. I trust you'll uphold your end... for _your_ sake as much as ours."

"No fear, my pretty, no fear," the Wicked Witch said with a cackle. "Your interests and mine just so happen to align as is. I need those meddlesome squatters out of my house! I wouldn't dream of backing out of my end of the bargain."

"How reassuring," Vanessa said with a scoff.

"Perhaps this will set your mind at ease," the Wicked Witch said as she pulled out a golden cap from the folds her robe.

As she took the cap into her hands, the cap began to glow and glitter as if a bright light was shining on it. Thousands of wing flaps could be heard echoing the in the distance.

"What's going on?" Loki said as he drew his staff and pointed it at the Wicked Witch.

" _That_ is our reinforcements!" the Wicked Witch answered as she gestured towards the mouth of the cave.

Sure enough, when Loki peered out of the cave, he saw them. Thousands of flying monkeys soared through the air, circling around the cave of their master. Loki grinned deviously, for he knew they would serve the Overtakers well.

* * *

Jafar's sister made her lair within the bowels of a volcano across the desert from Agrabah. Jafar, Hook, and Grimhilde proceeded down the cavern into the volcano's depths, unhappily enduring the uncomfortable heat that filled the cave.

"I still can hardly believe you've a sister you never told me about," Hook said with a scoff. "I told _you_ all about my brother Liam."

"Is this really pertinent at the moment?" Grimhilde asked with a groan.

"There are many things about my life I've yet to tell you," Jafar answered, ignoring Grimhilde. "Such is an inevitably when you've lived as full a life as I have. I told you everything _important_."

"The fact that you have a twin sister isn't important?" Hook asked.

"A sister whom I haven't seen in person since I was a young man," Jafar clarified. "She's nothing to me!"

"Nice to see you too, brother," a woman's voice echoed throughout the cavern.

In a swirl of smoke, Jafar's sister manifested on the edge of a large pool of lava. Much like her brother, she had strong and dramatic features that were unconventionally attractive yet lent her a certain elegance and power. Her burgundy gown was offset by the dark black of her hair, styled like a cobra's hood around her snakelike head.

"Ah Nasira, I see the years haven't been kind," Jafar taunted. "It is a sad fact that a pretty face crumbles as the years go by, no matter how it is painted."

"Something you've never had to worry about, Jafar," Nasira countered. "You were never burdened by beauty. I suppose your own ugliness ensured that you never had any men showing interest in you to distract from your scheming..."

Nasira's eyes then drifted to Hook, prompting her to amend her insult. "Then again, I suppose even the handsomest men can be bought with enough coin."

Hook went to retort, but Jafar shook his head, wordlessly gesturing for Hook to stay out of it.

"Speaking of men easily bought and paid for, whatever happened to that husband of yours?" Jafar asked. "Surely it didn't take him all those years to finally come to his senses and leave you."

"I believe you're confusing my ex-husband for _your_ ex-parrot," Nasira retorted. "Though to your miniscule credit, you do seem to have traded up for a more human bedmate... undead though he clearly is."

"At the very least, I'm not living alone in some hovel," Jafar pointed out. "I am Sultan of Agrabah, I have conquered the gods themselves, and I have steadfast allies who value me for all my wickedness. It must be difficult for you being the disappointing twin. Then again, _I_ would never know how that feels."

"True, you always did hold favor with mother and father," Nasira admitted. "You, after all, are a man, and thus you were able to assume father's position at court. I was of little more use than a brood mare to mother and father, a commodity to be whored out to some plump aristocrat who would stick me in a veil and force me to clean his kitchen."

"Well we all have our natural talents," Jafar said. "Were it not for your acid tongue, you might have made a fine wife."

Nasira only laughed at that. "Can you even imagine such a revolting thing? Finding the ruins of the Witches of the Sand was the best thing that ever happened to us, no matter what mother said."

"Yes, she never did truly appreciate our mastery of the arcane arts," Jafar lamented. "I suppose such was the price of her religious superstitions."

" _Our_ mastery?" Nasira asked. "Ha! You were a novice at best before you became a genie. I, on the other hand, have ever been your superior in the arts of sorcery."

"Bah! You know only mere parlor tricks!" Jafar snapped. "I, on the other hand, possess the powers of the _cosmos!_ "

"Power you were given when you became a genie," Nasira pointed out, "not a magic you studied and cultivated through your own merits."

"Which brings us to why we are here," Grimhilde interjected, growing tired of the twins' bantering back and forth. "Jafar tells us that you have a way to defeat a fiend who has ensnared a dear friend of ours. Does the name Ayam Aghoul mean anything to you?"

"That lecherous creep tried to make me his bride!" Nasira hissed. "Fortunately, the Witches of the Sand have long known how to banish the undead."

"So how do we accomplish the feat?" Hook asked.

Nasira smirked. "I _would_ tell you, but given how Jafar here boasts that he knows just as much about Sand witchcraft as I do, I would not wish to upstage his brilliant insight."

"If I knew how to defeat Aghoul, I would not be here asking for your help, you cow," Jafar spat.

"Oh? Is that you admitting that I am the superior sorcerer?" Nasira asked.

" _Never!_ " Jafar shouted.

Nasira simply shrugged. "Well then, if you're not going to acknowledge my superior insight, then I will assume that you have it under control without me. It really is of no consequence to me, after all."

Jafar was grinding his teeth in rage at Nasira's smugness when Hook laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to actually mean it," Hook offered. "But if you don't humble yourself to her now, then our friend gets married off to a corpse and takes with her everything she knows that we currently don't."

Grimhilde raised an eyebrow at Hook's wording but remained silent. She figured whatever knowledge those two were after would be a matter best dealt with another time.

Jafar let out an exasperated sigh but relented. "Very well. Nasira, you... are the superior sorcerer with knowledge of sand witchcraft far beyond my own, and I desperately beg for your aid. There. Satisfied?"

Nasira let out a wicked cackle. "Oh that felt INVIGORATING! Very well..."

Nasira clapped her hands and a small trunk manifested out of thin air and floated over to Jafar. When the lid opened, the contents of the box were revealed to be a dark indigo colored spice.

"Spice? What the bloody Hell are we supposed to do with _spice?_ " Hook asked.

" _Magic_ spice," Nasira corrected. "Aghoul's existence on this plain is connected to his necklace. Submerge it in the spice, and he'll be banished back to the Netherworld whence he came."

Grimhilde bowed graciously. "Many thanks for your aid, Nasira. Your contribution to our cause will not be forgotten."

"Indeed," Hook echoed, earning a grumble from Jafar.

"To hear my brother admit that I am the greater sorcerer, I would pay any boon," Nasira said with a laugh.

Jafar's eyes flashed red. "INSOLENT COW, I SHALL-"

Hook quickly clamped his right hand over Jafar's mouth. "Thank you so much for your time, but we really must be going. We do, after all, have a ghoul to banish."

Grimhilde didn't give Jafar time to protest before she swept all three of them up into a Corridor of Darkness, vanishing from Nasira's lair without a trace. Once they were gone, Nasira reached into her purse and pulled out a necklace with a shriveled up shrunken head strung up on it.

"Did you hear that mom?" Nasira asked the shrunken head. "Your _son_ has a handsome _boy_ friend and your daughter's _not married_. Roll in your grave, mommy, _roll in it!_ "

* * *

The gates of the Western Castle flew open with a fiery blast. Hades stormed into the foyer, red hot and holding the head that remained of one of Mozenrath's Mamlucks. The Lord of the Dead dropped the creature's head on the floor, and it rolled over to the feet of its master.

"That all ya got, Mozzy?" Hades called out. "You sent undead minion after _me?_ HA! Didn't even get me warmed up!"

"Yes, I knew you'd be a little trickier to deal with than the rest," Mozenrath said with a sigh as he kicked the Mamluck head like a soccer ball out of the way. "You could have at least left my shambling minions in one piece to save me the hassle."

"Not exactly in a position to owe you any favors, kid," Hades said. "Now give me Maleficent, or I'll make that gauntlet drain THE REST of your MISERABLE LIFE FORCE in under a MINUTE!"

"Hmm, I see," Mozenrath said, scratching his chin. "Well, when you put it that way... _No_."

Hades's hands began to glow with fire. "Last chance kid!"

"As a matter of fact, you're lucky enough to have broken in just in time to see what Yzma and Miratrix recovered for me from the Heylin Temple," Mozenrath said with a smirk.

Hades was about to attack without bothering to ask what Mozenrath was talking about, when a woman in purple sequins cartwheeled into the room and landed with catlike grace next to Mozenrath.

Yzma let out a cackle as she dramatically held up a puzzle box. "Now, Hades, unconditionally surrender to us, and we'll DESTROY you with the contents of this puzzle box!"

Hades blinked twice in confusion and cooled down to blue. "Um, babe, don't ya mean ' _or_ '? That's kind of a crucial conjunction."

Yzma growled at the correction. "Pick, pick, pick! That's all you Overtaker types know how to do! Fine, unconditionally surrender to us, _OR_ we'll destroy you with the contents of the puzzle box!"

"Well, hey, y'know, that changes things; it does," Hades said, scratching his chin. "When ya put it that way... _No_."

Hades grinned smugly as he threw a ball of fire directly for Mozenrath. The young sorcerer put up a deflection shield to reflect the fireball, and he immediately began to pour magical energy into the puzzle box. Energy flashed, temporarily blinding Hades as an immense wall of green fire erupted in front of Mozenrath and Yzma. Hades could just barely make out a curvy silhouette amongst the flames. As Hades struggled to get a good look, a woman sauntered out of the fire and tossed her dark red hair dramatically.

"It is good to be back again!" the Heylin Witch declared with a hearty laugh.

"Ohohoho," Yzma purred. "You didn't tell me she was beautiful too!"

"Welcome back to flesh and blood, Wuya," Mozenrath said with a smug grin. "I am Mozenrath, soon to be the overlord of every world that is, and the man responsible for setting you free!"

"Then I suppose I owe you my thanks," Wuya said with a grin. "You haven't started crying for your mommy yet, so you're already an improvement over the last imbecile who set me free."

"We'll hash out the details of our alliance later, but I'm sure you and I will have much to offer each other," Mozenrath said. "For now, though, I'd like to see a sample of your powers. They say you're strong enough to best even a god. Well here's a god. Now best him!"

"You haven't crossed the Overtakers yet, babe," Hades said. "High-tail it out of here and leave me to DESTROY Mozenbrat, and I'll let you live in peace. But if you cross me, I'll BURN YOUR SOUL RIGHT OUTTA YOUR BODY!"

Wuya cracked her knuckles. "Well _now_ you've threatened me, and we can't have that can we?"

Hades gulped when he saw the intensity in Wuya's eyes, and he knew in that moment that he'd just made a terrible mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Wicked Witch of the West is from The Wizard of Oz.
> 
> Nasira, Jafar's sister, is from the PS1 game Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge.
> 
> Wuya is from Xioalin Showdown.
> 
> Cameoing in this chapter are the Big Bad Wolf from Disney's The Three Little Pigs and Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas.


	15. A Party in the Land of Oz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you should be familiar with the songs "A Party Here in Agrabah" from Aladdin and the King of Thieves and "Ex-Wives" from Six: the Musical.

Loki, Doom, Vanessa, Fish, and Russell all gathered at the edge of the haunted forest, looking out at the Western Castle. The Wicked Witch of the West was off tending to her flying monkey army, ensuring that they were prepared for the coming siege, leaving the five Overtakers alone to talk before the battle.

"How are Maleficent's divorce papers coming along?" Fish asked as she peered over her girlfriend's shoulders at the golden contracts that Vanessa and Loki had crafted.

"If they work, it'll be a miracle," Loki said with a scoff, earning a venomous glare from Vanessa.

"They'll do the job fine," Vanessa insisted. "We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need something that clearly dissolves the union and lets us get Maleficent back on our side."

"Loki, what is your concern with the contracts?" Doom asked as he placed a firm hand on his boyfriend's shoulders.

"Divorcing Maleficent from Aghoul is insufficient," Loki explained. "We need a contract that will fully defeat Aghoul and his allies, otherwise the fools will simply retreat and find a way to reignite their scheme. The contract doesn't even make arrangements for the return of Hades, Jafar, or Hook."

"And if we start adding more provisions like that, we run the risk of spreading the magic too thin, or worse: opening up a loophole that will allow them to render our contract null and void," Vanessa argued. "We don't need a perfect victory. We just need to get Maleficent out free, then we can focus on crushing those pathetic fools and getting our other friends back."

"I do enjoy the thought of crushing them personally rather than allowin' some scrap of paper to finish the job," Russell added in agreement.

"Even with the Wicked Witch's help, we are still outnumbered," Doom pointed out. "While I am certain our powers are superior, I would prefer if we had an ace up our sleeves to tip the odds in our favor."

"Then I suppose it is fortuitous we've arrived just in time," Hook said as he, Jafar, and the old hag form of Grimhilde emerged from the brush.

"What?!" Doom asked. "We thought you two were captured by Mozenrath! Where have you been?"

"We _were_ captured by Mozenrath," Jafar explained. "But we managed to escape."

"The details of the affair are a bit of a bore," Hook lied, earning a suspicious glance from Loki.

"Well that puts the numbers back on our side," Fish pointed out. "Thank you for coming, Grimhilde."

"Of course, my dear, I couldn't allow Maleficent to be taken!" Grimhilde explained.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Grim, I'm glad you're here," Vanessa chimed in, "but this _was_ supposed to be Core Overtakers only. I'm sure Maleficent had her reasons why she didn't want you here in the first place."

Grimhilde snorted at that. "Well she sent Diablo to come and find _me_ to work out a solution. Apparently she didn't trust you all to get the job done yourselves."

"Doom could have handled her rescue single-handedly," Doom boasted in retaliation.

"Such insolence indeed," Loki said with a sneer.

"Given that Hades is missing, I see that her concerns were not unfounded," Jafar pointed out as he rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps _you_ should try stoppin' Hades when that man gets a fuckin' impulsive idea in his head!" Russell argued.

"You lost a death god?" Hook asked. "Well aren't you all bloody useless."

"There is only one of us here who is useless," Loki replied, "and that someone is _you_."

"Insult my boyfriend again, and I shall render you as useless as a rotting corpse," Jafar warned, the eyes of his snake staff glowing red to punctuate his threat.

"Threaten _Loki_ again, and you shall see that even genies can meet their _doom_ ," Doom bellowed in response.

"Stop this bullshit right now, all of you!" Fish shouted. "It doesn't matter who did or didn't get invited to the special popular kids club or who was rude to the boyfriend of who the Hell cares. We have bigger priorities to deal with and a task that requires all of us working together. We are the _Overtakers_ , the most powerful villains in the cosmos. Now let's start acting like it, shall we?"

The other seven Overtakers grumbled a bit but relented to Fish's suggestion. Jafar and Doom backed down away from each other and returned to the side of their lovers.

"If I _may_ ," Grimhilde said after a minute. "Jafar, Hook, and I found a way to banish Aghoul back to the Netherworld. If we submerge the necklace in the magic spice, he'll be sent away, unable to return from the Netherworld."

"Well that certainly deals with one of our problems," Russell said. "Pity we can't just throw 'em all in the Netherworld and be done with it."

"Perhaps there's a way we can," Loki said slyly. "With one small amendment to our magical contract...."

"Word it well," Vanessa advised as she handed Loki the magic quill.

Loki scribbled an addendum in the contract just as the Wicked Witch of the West approached the group. She looked suspiciously at the three new comers, unsure of what to make of them.

"Reinforcements, they're our friends," Fish offered.

The Witch nodded. "Very well. The army is going to attack in a few minutes. Once they do and start drawing Mozenrath's fire, we'll be able to slip in the secret passageway."

"Then we shouldn't remain here," Doom declared. "Lead the way, Witch."

* * *

"A little of thiiiiiis," Mysterio said dramatically as a smoke bomb went off. "A little of thaaaaat...," he continued as a canon added colorful streamers to the rafters. "Gorgeous, gorgeous."

Mysterio beamed at how the grand hall was coming together. The wedding set up was already starting to look gorgeous and, more importantly, _flashy_. Mysterio just couldn't help himself; this momentous occasion demanded a musical number.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Mysterio sang. " _There's excitement in the air! People pouring in from near and far. 'Cause right here in this setting, we're gonna have a wedding!_ "

Mysterio danced around the area, drawing the attention and ire of his fellow Sorcerer's Society members.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Mysterio continued. " _Everybody will be there! So if you're a hunter or a witch,_ " Mysterio placed his arms around the Huntsman and Wuya. " _Do somethin' with your hair!_ "

" _You mustn't wear an outfit that's naughty!_ " Mysterio scolded as he gestured towards Miratrix's low cut dress.

" _A turban that's unraveling just won't do!_ " Mysterio sang as he straightened Mozenrath's turban.

Yzma grinned as she held up her favorite pair of turquoise earrings, only to have them snatched out of her hands by Mysterio. " _No earrings that are tasteless or gaudy!_ "

Before Yzma could hit Mysterio with her oversized hammer, Mysterio's illusion powers began to swirl around Yzma. " _You're gonna look gorgeous when I get through!_ "

When the mists cleared and Yzma looked in the mirror at the extravagant green and purple gown and feathered headdress and collar she'd been dressed in, even she had to admit that Mysterio had done a great job.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Mysterio belted. " _So I'm going to paint the town. If you want to see what colors are, follow me around!_ "

Colored lights shined all over every room of the castle, making them all look like something out of a bowling alley in the nineties.

" _Aghoul is gettin' married, and it's gonna be,_ " the rest of the team sang. " _The wedding of the century!_ "

" _Aghoul is gettin' married, and you're gonna see,_ " Mozenrath broke out. " _Just how much I can GET!_ "

" _You've heard of your safari bar mitzvahs,_ " Yzma sang. " _You've all been to a luau, a sweet sixteen!_ "

" _Well, none of them compare to what this is!_ " Wuya declared.

" _The food'll be disgusting,_ " Miratrix groaned as she picked up a moldy chicken strip from the buffet table.

" _By evening you'll be busting!_ " Mysterio assured her.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Mozenrath began to sing. " _And it's got me all aglow. If a street rat could've come so far..._ " Mozenrath thought back to his hated nemesis, " _Surely I can do it!_ "

" _Sure, there's nothin' to it!_ " Yzma jumped in.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Madam Mim huffed angrily. " _But I'm not sure that I'll go. For although the groom is lah-dee-dah, the bride is awfully low!_ "

" _And now we take you down to the palace,_ " Mysterio sang as he escorted Roman Torchwick and Archibald Snatcher through a Corridor of Darkness, the two having been permitted a break from cleaning duties to attend. " _Where everyone has celebrated all night long!_ "

" _Without Jafar and all of his malice,_ " Mozenrath said as he triumphantly held up the black marble that he believed still contained Jafar and Hook. " _Everybody's happy!_ "

" _What could possibly go wrong?_ " Roman and Snatcher sang together.

Little did they suspect that just outside the castle, the remaining Overtakers were preparing to answer that question in spades. Though none of them knew why they had the overpowering urge to sing, they weren't really in a position to question it.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " the eight Overtakers sang. " _And we're gonna catch 'em blind!_ "

" _While they're all munching caviar,_ " the Wicked Witch sang to the head of her monkey army. " _Create a large disturbance, we'll sneak up from behind!_ "

Meanwhile, back inside....

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Roman sang as he scanned the gift table. _"And the loot is pourin' in! I like this wedding stuff so far!_ "

" _Maybe if you're pleasant,_ " Snatcher suggested. " _You'll get to keep a present!_ "

" _I've ordered just a few tasteful flowers,_ " Mysterio informed Mozenrath as a truck of roses dumped its load on the floor in front of them. " _The valets will carefully park for you._ "

" _The bridesmaids have been dressing for hours!_ " the Huntsman complained angrily.

" _Girls, you look just lovely and so grown-up too,_ " Mysterio assured Aghoul's other skeletal wives as he ushered them away from the vanities.

" _There's a party in the Land of Oz,_ " Mysterio continued as the Sorcerer's Society all found their way to the seats. " _Guests are filling up the room! But there's something missing... yes, ah ha!_ "

Mozenrath groaned. " _WHERE ARE THE BRIDE AND GROOM?_ "

* * *

"Tell me Hades, does it hurt when I do THIS?" Ayam Aghoul asked as he zapped the Crystal of Ix containing the defeated Hades.

Hades yowled in pain and then slumped back into his dejected form. "Another zap, badda-bing."

"You're only making matters worse for yourself," Maleficent hissed angrily.

Maleficent had been dressed head to toe in a musty old lavender dress with a veil that all of Aghoul's previous wives had worn on their wedding days. She's loathed the entire ensemble, and it gnawed at her very being that she had to wear something so hideous on top of every other humiliation she'd endured. Her only solace was planning the gruesome demise of all of Mozenrath's allies once she got free.

Aghoul, however, ignored her and continued to torment Hades. "You've gotten your just desserts from trying to take _my_ fiancée away from me."

Hades breathed heavily at the torment but held as firm as he could. "You might've forced her into this situation, but she'll _never_ be yours. She actually said yes to _me_ and loves _me_ , and that's something you'll never have."

"Heh, if I waited on pesky things like love or consent, I'd still be a bachelor," Aghoul declared with a fiendish laugh as he twirled his cape. "But I'm sure I've kept the party waiting. My dear Maleficent, my other wives will be here in a moment to escort you in."

"It's... bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," Hades managed to say.

"Don't need luck," Aghoul assured himself as he exited the room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Maleficent and Hades alone for a moment.

"Go on... yell at me for being an impulsive idiot," Hades said once Aghoul was out of earshot. "I know you want to, babe. I can take it. I was stupid for not stayin' with the others."

"Yes, you were," Maleficent said faintly as she sat next to the Crystal of Ix. "You were foolish, impulsive, and blinded by base emotions... And yet, I am still grateful for the gesture."

Hades turned to face Maleficent with shock written all over his face. "Wait, what now?"

"You've always been the only one willing to put his own safety in jeopardy for my sake," Maleficent explained. "Though the bonds forged with the others are indeed strong, you have always made me feel as though I am your utmost priority."

"Because you are, babe," Hades said. "The rest of the universe doesn't mean spit compared to you. Everyone else could all die gruesome deaths and be eaten inside out by maggots, and it wouldn't matter as long as you were still safe."

"I have unshakeable confidence that our allies will be able to free us," Maleficent said. "Even with Wuya's interference, they are powerful and resourceful. We have not known a permanent defeat yet. I've no intentions of starting now."

"Let's just hope that Heylin Witch isn't too much for them to handle," Hades said.

The doors opened, and the six skeletal brides entered the room.

"It's time, dear," the first of them said somberly.

"At least you look better in that dress than Eman did in it," the sixth one in line remarked.

The second one, apparently named Eman, shot the one who spoke an angry glare. "And you're rude, Mahbahar!"

"Tell me," Maleficent said, thinking quickly to buy herself time. "Are you six content being married to Aghoul?"

"What's there to be content about?" the fourth of them chimed in. "He killed us all to force us to be with him for eternity."

"Except me!" Mahbahar chimed in. "I outlived him... but he got me back after death. At least I got a few good years free of him before dying of old age."

"But now _you're_ in the same boat!" the fifth added. "... As us. Not Mahbahar. He can't die twice. Just thought I should clarify."

"Do not count me dead just yet," Maleficent assured them.

"That's what we all said," the only one who hadn't spoken said. "He stole our lives despite all our best efforts."

"Perhaps she needs to know," the first suggested before a musical tune began to play and the other five wives formed a line behind her.

" _Poisoned_ ," the five wives sang.

" _My name is Yasmin of Quirkistan,_ " the first began to sing, " _was married 24 years, I'm a paragon... Of royalty, my loyalty is to the caliphate. So if you try to dump me, that won't work out so great._ "

" _Beheaded_ ," the other wives sang as the second stepped forward.

" _I'm that Eman girl and I'm up next, see,_ " the second sang. " _I broke Ayam from the ship, yeah I'm that sexy. Why did I lose my head? The Viper may be Black, but their blades are red._ "

" _Died,_ " the wives sang as another stepped forward.

" _Kainat Seymour, the only one he truly loved,_ " the third began.

"Rude," the other five sneered.

" _When Dhandi was newly born,_ " Kainat continued, " _I died, but I'm not what I seem or am I? Stick around and you'll suddenly see more..._ "

" _Smothered_ ," the wives sang.

" _Ich bin Danbo of Cheese_ ," the fourth sang.

"Odiferan," Eman whispered to Maleficent as if that clarified anything.

" _When he saw my dowry he was like_ Jaa _,_ " Danbo continued. " _But I didn't smell as good as my father's pet yak. Funny how we all discuss that but never Ayam's little..._ "

" _Prick up your ears I'm the Yasmin who lost her head,_ " the fifth wife interrupted.

" _Beheaded_ ," the other wives sang.

" _For my promiscuity outside of wed,_ " she continued. " _Lock up your sultans. Lock up your sons. Mini Luveirs is here, and the fun's begun!_ "

" _Survived_ ," they chanted.

" _Five down, I'm the final wife,_ " Mahbahar began to sing. " _I saw him to the end of his life. I'm the survivor, Mahbahar! I bet you wanna know how I got this far!_ "

" _I said I bet you wanna know how we got this far!_ " she repeated.

" _Do you wanna know how we got this far?_ " they all asked in unison.

The six wives began to gather together and sing and dance.

" _Then welcome to the show_

_To the historemix_

_Switching up the flow_

_As we add the prefix_

_Everybody knows that_

_We used to be six lives_

_Get your hands up_

_Get this party buzzing_

_You want a queen Bee?_

_Well there's half a dozen_

_Everybody knows that_

_We used to be six lives_

_But now we're his wives!_ "

Maleficent applauded the wives politely. "Fascinating. It appears our dear Ayam Aghoul has inflicted misery on more than one woman. Perhaps he is due the retribution of all of-"

"What on earth is taking so long in there?" the Huntsman bellowed as he slammed his fist against the door.

"Uh-oh," Mini said. "We better get our seventh up to the altar!"

"That's what we said about Nasira and Jasmine too," Danbo pointed out. "He hasn't had a good track record since he became undead."

Yasmin took Maleficent by the arm and escorted her towards the door. "That's not our call to make. We were not so fortunate as to escape him, and thus we must do his bidding."

"In time, perhaps that will change," Maleficent said as she was escorted through the doors towards the chapel. "When I destroy Aghoul, all six of you shall have a place in my kingdom to finally enjoy your freedom. This promise I make to you now."

"We'd like that," Eman said giddily as she and the others followed Maleficent down the hall.

And so the wedding was upon them. Maleficent glanced out at the evening sky, hoping desperately for any sign that her Overtakers were coming for her. Yet, she saw nothing. Maleficent tried not to let herself be discouraged. The fact that she didn't see her team didn't mean anything, and Maleficent tried to reassure herself of that fact, as difficult as it was.

The wedding ceremony itself was tedious and dull, and Maleficent had to admit that she wished Aghoul had chosen a more expedient ceremony. Aghoul answered her "I do" for her without giving her any chance to speak, but she hadn't been expecting a say in this ceremony at any rate.

"If anyone objects to this marriage... erm, besides the bride," the skeletal priest asked, "let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

"I object!" a voice with a thick Southern drawl called out. "Mostly to these gaudy decorations with no concept of subtlety, but the marriage too."

"Who DARES?" Mysterio bellowed angrily, as the entire congregation turned to face the man who'd spoken.

Russell Edgington gave a coy wave and grinned smugly at the attendees. Maleficent couldn't suppress a devilish grin of her own at seeing him here.

"What are you doing?" Jafar asked angrily as he and the others entered the room. "Kill them all NOW!"

"Some people have no appreciation for theatrics," Russell said as he bolted forward at vampiric speeds, ready to snap the necks of all the Sorcerer's Society members he could reach.

However, Russell's progress was halted when he was blasted by a concentrated beam from the Huntsman's staff.

"I _also_ have no appreciation for these theatrics," the Huntsman said as his beam bared down on Russell. "Ultraviolet radiation infused with an ice element. Perfect for slowing the pace of a vampire enough to slay one. Your fangs will make a fine trophy!"

"Humph, your black sand trap didn't keep Jafar or Hook imprisoned, Mozenrath," Mim said. "You really ought to get that fixed."

"How did you two break free?" Mozenrath shouted angrily. "And _how_ did you get past my Mamlucks?"

"You underestimate how resourceful I am," Jafar pointed out. "Besides, if I stayed imprisoned, then you'd have won, and we simply couldn't have that, now could we?"

The Wicked Witch of the West cackled at that. "And your Mamlucks are a little busy at the moment. See for yourself!"

A cursory glance at the window revealed that the Mamlucks were all locked in combat with a swarm of flying monkeys that were descending upon the castle, leaving Mozenrath with no guards and no reinforcements.

"And now I think I'll have my castle back," the Wicked Witch asserted.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" Mozenrath asked. "Oh right, never mind, I don't care! Because none of you are ever leaving this room alive. Sorcerer's Society! DESTROY THEM!"

The two sides ran at each other as a full blown battle broke out. The Huntsman continued his merciless hunt for Russell, yet the vampire proved stronger than he'd anticipated. Doom and Loki combined their powers to match Wuya's strength, proving much more difficult for her to handle than Hades had been. A wizard's duel between Madam Mim and the Wicked Witch of the West broke out, and Mysterio's attempts to interfere were quickly thwarted when Vanessa managed to knock him out with a single blast of her trident. Yzma clashed with Fish Mooney as Grimhilde turned her attention towards Roman and Snatcher. Miratrix and Hook countered one another parry for parry as they crossed blades, and Jafar and Mozenrath's magical energies clashed as they had many times before.

Aghoul saw the chaos and grabbed Maleficent by the shoulders as he yanked her back to the altar in front of the skeletal priest. "Finish the ceremony! NOW!"

The skeletal priest flipped through the wedding script to the very end. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!"

As Aghoul leaned in for a kiss, someone viciously yanked Aghoul away from his new bride and jumped up on his back. Maleficent's look of confusion transformed into one of pure pleasure when she saw Aghoul's other six wives holding him back.

"YOU ALL BELONG TO ME!" he growled as he attempted to shake them off.

"We decided to change the story, Ayam," Kainat declared.

"Die mad about it!" Eman said with a giggle.

"Now get DOWN you dirty rascal!" Danbo said as she tried to force him to the ground.

"This will not go unpunished!" Aghoul declared through gritted teeth.

Aghoul's hands flashed with magic, and the necromantic powers keeping his wives alive dissipated, causing them to crumble into a pile of bones and dresses on the floor.

"Maleficent!" Vanessa called out as she rushed over holding a glowing golden contract in her hands. "Quickly! Sign the divorce papers before Aghoul can destroy them!"

"NOT SO FAST!" Aghoul shouted angrily as he regained his footing.

Vanessa unrolled the contract and held it up. Aghoul cried out in fury and fired a blast of magic at the contract. His spell, however, did not succeed in destroying the contract. After all, the contract was legal, binding, and completely unbreakable. His spell did, however, accomplish the feat of leaving a scorch mark on top of the signature line.

"HA! It's DONE then!" Vanessa declared with a laugh. "Thanks for making your mark, Aghoul. I couldn't have magically divorced you without it!"

The contract transformed into a glowing swirl of magic that snaked around Maleficent's neck, causing the engagement necklace to fall right off. Maleficent immediately was engulfed with green fires as her powers returned to her. Her wedding dress was burnt away and her usual ensemble returned to her.

"It feels wonderful to be myself again," Maleficent declared with a cackle. "And now I do believe there is another ally of mine who craves freedom. _Ixtabor!_ "

The Crystal of Ix in the other room flashed with green light, and, in another instant, Hades appeared by Maleficent's side in a plume of smoke.

"BADDA-BING!" Hades shouted. "Ladies, gentleman, third rate upstart ghouls, HADES IS BACK!"

"Now then, my love, shall we destroy this impudent whelp?" Maleficent asked with a sinister smirk plastered on her face.

"I thought you'd never ask," Hades said as his own grin widened.

Aghoul yelped with fear and summoned his necklace back to his hands. The undead sorcerer took off running to avoid the blasts of fire being hurled his way.

"Mozenrath! Our time for getting outta here is upon us!" Aghoul said with a frenzied expression.

Mozenrath blasted Jafar back away from him and groaned. "I hate HATE losing to the Overtakers again! Do you at least have the necklace so we can try again?"

"Right here!" Aghoul said as he reached into his pocket...

...Only to find that his pocket was empty. Aghoul hastily patted down his robes, trying to find where he'd tucked the necklace.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hook said as he held up his hook, which just so happened to have Aghoul's necklace hanging from it. "Were you looking for this?"

"HOW?" Aghoul shouted.

" _Pirate_ ," Hook answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, and we have another surprise for you, dearie," Grimhilde said with a light chuckle as she opened up the chest containing the magic spice.

Aghoul shrieked in terror. "NOT THE SPICE!"

"Spice? What spice?" Mozenrath asked.

"Allow me to demonstrate," Hook said as he submerged the necklace in the magic spice.

A swirling purple tornado emerged from the spice and ensnared Aghoul, no matter how far the undead sorcerer ran.

"No, NO!" Aghoul shouted. "DON'T SEND ME BACK TO THE NETHERWORLD!"

But that wasn't the only thing the spice was up to. Bolts of purple shot out from the tornado and struck Mozenrath, Mim, the Huntsman, Yzma, Wuya, Snatcher, Roman, Mysterio, and Miratrix, engulfing them all in violet light.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Mozenrath asked.

Loki let out a fiendish laugh. "A little addendum _I_ made to the divorce papers. Essentially, it ties Aghoul's fate to you and your Sorcerer's Society."

"YOU! WHY IS IT ALWAYS _YOU?_ " Mozenrath asked as he and his allies began to be consumed by the spice.

"Because you have yet to learn the most fundamental of lessons," Loki answered. "Do NOT cross the God of Mischief!"

Mozenrath let out a furious growl as he and the rest of the Sorcerer's Society were sucked into the chest of magic spice and banished to the Netherworld alongside Aghoul. Grimhilde snapped the lid closed with a triumphant cackle, and soon all of the Overtakers joined in with their own laughs to celebrate their victory.

"Oh Auntie Em, Auntie Em, there's NO place like home!" the Wicked Witch declared mockingly as she let out a sigh of relief at being back inside of her castle.

"I think you for your aid," Maleficent said as she approached the Witch. "But I do not yet know you. I am Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil."

"They just call me the Wicked Witch of the West," she answered. "A pleasure to meet you at last."

"You've proven yourself to be a valuable ally," Maleficent said. "My friends appear to have already taken a shine to you. Might I interest you in joining my Overtakers?"

"I appreciate the offer," the Wicked Witch answered, "but my purpose is on this world. Your Overtakers will always be welcomed in my kingdom, but conquering Oz is my only interest."

"An interest I respect," Maleficent said with a nod. "For your valor in aiding us, I shall allow you to conquer this world free of my interference. But should you ever change your mind, you have a place in my team."

The Wicked Witch bowed in thanks at that. "You are most gracious, my pretty. I'm glad to see you reunited with your friends again as well."

Hades put his arm around Maleficent. "And _we're_ glad to have her back. Babe, you can pull off a lot of looks, but that gaudy necklace just wasn't your style."

"Cheap costume jewelry rarely is," Maleficent added before turning back towards the altar. "Hades, my dear, collect the remains of Aghouls' other wives. I made them a promise that I have every intention of keeping."

Hades nodded as he whisked their bones up in a plume of smoke. "You got it, Malef!"

"As for the rest of you, I thank you for rescuing me," Maleficent continued as she faced the other Overtakers. "This is a glorious testament to what can be accomplish through our cooperation. Rarely have I ever been more proud to call myself your leader. Grimhilde, my dear. You must be acknowledged as well. I had thought to exclude you from the ranks of my inner circle, yet you've proven to be as valiant of an ally as the other eight gathered here. Such valor deserves a reward, and thus I welcome you into our inner circle as well."

Grimhilde beamed with pride and grinned a crooked grin. "It is an _honor_ , Mistress."

"Now then," Maleficent said as she summoned up a Corridor of Darkness. "Come. We must now return to the Eminence Palace. As the Wicked Witch said, there is no place like home!"


	16. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for this chapter. See end note for details.

The silence hovering over the purple, green, and black office was deafening enough that the three occupants could hear a pin drop. Maleficent sat behind the large black desk, contemplating how best to approach the request made of her by the two men sitting across from her. Hook and Jafar stared her down, unflinching in their pursuit of knowledge. The bronze sphere that Hook had picked up on the End of the World sat on the desk between the room's occupants, a silent yet loud participant in the current confrontation.

"Very well," Maleficent finally relented. "I shall tell you whatever you wish to know. You were, after all, instrumental in my rescue from that fiend, Aghoul. Let it never be said that the Mistress of All Evil does not pay her debts."

Hook flashed a smile in Jafar's direction before turning back to face Maleficent. "Did you know about my connection to the End of the World from the beginning?"

"No," she answered. "I resurrected you for the sole purpose of destroying Rumplestiltskin, and though you failed, your darkness impressed me, as did your repeated worth to the Overtakers. Your place amongst our ranks has never been in question or dependent on anything outside of your own worth. It was only after recruiting Davy Jones that I learned of your unique connection to Treasure Planet. Your father bartered that information to me to secure his survival."

"And what exactly is that connection?" Hook asked. "What did he tell you?"

"He told me that your mother was Carina Hawkins, the First Mate of Captain Nathaniel Flint," Maleficent explained.

"She was a pirate too," Hook said under his breath.

"Indeed she was," Maleficent nodded. "An inventor and arcanist as well. In fact, it was she who constructed the technology utilized by Captain Flint, most notably a fascinating portal device."

Maleficent tapped her nails against the metal sphere. "If I am not mistaken, this map was the key to activating the portal. It allowed Flint and his crew to plunder all the worlds. Yet Carina was a clever woman and knew that such a powerful artifact would be desired by many, so she ensured that only she and her descendants could open the map and activate the portal."

"So that's why you held me in such a high regard," Hook said. "Because I'm the only one left who can use the portal."

"You are one of _three_ who can use the portal," Maleficent corrected. "Though there may in fact be others yet undiscovered."

"One of three? How the bloody Hell can there be two others?" Hook asked. "My mother is dead, my older brother is dead, and I have no children."

"Evidently Carina had another child before you and your brother," Maleficent said. "She has descendants with the surname Hawkins who have used the portal in recent memory. Not entirely surprising. She was, after all, a very flighty woman who caught the attention of many men."

Jafar, who had up until this point remained silent, spoke up next. "You speak as though you knew her personally."

"I did," Maleficent admitted. "Briefly."

"And when the bloody Hell were you going to tell me you knew my mother?" Hook asked.

"Were I to tell you of everyone I've met in my long life, I'd have no breath to spare," Maleficent said with a sneer. "Long ago, I was banished from Oberon's kingdom of Avalon, trapped in the Enchanted Dominion with no power to reach out into other worlds. Flint and his band of renegades arrived to steal treasure from the outer villages. Learning of their magnificent vessel capable of crossing worlds, I approached them to broker passage off that miserable world."

"Did they take you with them?" Hook asked.

"We would be having a rather different conversation if they did," Maleficent answered. "Carina was amenable to my presence, and she and I even spoke briefly of the value of my magic combined with her technology. Captain Flint was less agreeable. I believe he feared Carina's inevitable betrayal. He refused to bring me along, and set sail never to return to the Enchanted Dominion again, leaving me marooned where he found me."

"But you've little need for passage off the Enchanted Dominion any longer," Hook pointed out, "and portal technology is worthless when you have the Corridors of Darkness, so I'll simply ask again: _what_ are you planning for me?"

Maleficent's glare passed over Hook and over to Jafar and then back to Hook again. "I have not seen fit to share my plans with any of our inner circle yet. There are many questions still to be answered."

"Then you'd best start answering _ours_ immediately," Jafar warned, "or your next question will be how to proceed without either of us."

"Very well," Maleficent relented, "but I will not grant you two advanced knowledge before the others. I will answer your question only in front of our entire inner circle."

Diablo flew down from the rafters and landed on Maleficent's hand. "My pet, go and inform the others that I would speak with them immediately in the Great Hall of Hollow Bastion."

"Surprisingly fair of you," Jafar said with a scoff.

"I have been _more_ than fair, I'll remind you," Maleficent said sternly. "I have indulged this scrutiny because of my fondness for you both, but my fondness has its limits. Do not test them."

"I appreciate your being forthcoming, Maleficent," Hook replied genuinely. "But... one last question before the others arrive."

"Yes? What is it?" Maleficent asked.

"What was... what was my mother like?" Hook asked.

That didn't seem to be the question Maleficent was expecting, but she retained her composure. "She was charming, fair of face, and keen of mind. You remind me a great deal of her."

Maleficent then opened a Corridor of Darkness to Hollow Bastion and beckoned for Jafar and Hook to follow. Doom was already hard at work on a computer terminal when the three of them arrived. The scrap metal ruins of what was once the Final Keyhole loomed over them as a monument to schemes long past.

"Am I correct in assuming that my work is going to be interrupted again?" Doom asked.

"A brief meeting to discuss the future," Maleficent assured him. "The others will be arriving soon."

Six Corridors of Darkness filed into the room as Hades, Ursula (who was no longer in her Vanessa disguise), Fish, Grimhilde, Loki, and Russell joined the others.

"Hmph, being back here brings back memories," Ursula remarked.

"Me too, actually," Russell said. "Which reminds me, I should take Steve to ride a global cataclysm more often."

"Thank you all for your promptness," Maleficent said. "I have called you here to discuss the next phase of my plans for our Overtakers. I believe I have found a way to eliminate all of our opposition and firmly place control of the universe in _our_ hands."

Loki sighed. "Another quest for another ancient magic? I did not entirely enjoy our previous ventures for the Book of Prophecies or the Gems of Cronus."

"I've gotta admit that I'm with Loki on this one," Fish chimed in. "These instant-win spells never work out for us, and we're hitting our stride just straight up taking what we want with our own powers."

"Be silent and let her speak," Jafar hissed, picking up on Hook's frustration at the delays in receiving his answer.

"I mean, hey, c'mon, can't hurt to put our olives in a few different baskets, eh?" Hades said, trying to smooth things over. "Let's at least hear Malef out."

"Thank you, my dear," Maleficent said. "Now then, Hades, Jafar, and Ursula already know of this, but for the sake of the rest of you, I shall start at the beginning. When first I assembled my original Overtakers, we sought to take control of the heart of all kingdoms, the heart of ALL that lives! Kingdom Hearts!"

Loki scratched his chin. "Ambitious. You have my attention."

"However, the worlds were too complex and beyond even my power to control," Maleficent continued. "Xehanort and Ansem exploited that complexity to get the better of me time and time again. That is why I adjusted my focus towards the Book of Prophecies and the Overtakers rather than continuing to play on Xehanort's perfectly arranged chess board. But now that he and Ansem both are dead, it is the perfect time to finally seize what was mine by right!"

"Actually this _is_ something I can get behind!" Fish said. "I wasn't sold until I heard that Xehanort kept it from you. Now that I know that little piece of information, I say you _have_ to try to get the Kingdom Hearts."

"But we're missing a critical piece," Ursula pointed out as she gestured towards the far wall.

"What critical piece?" Grimhilde asked.

"During that time, we possessed a large machine left over from Ansem's experiments," Maleficent explained. "It was able to create the Final Keyhole, a gateway to Kingdom Hearts that could harness the power of the Princesses of Heart. Leon and his foolish Restoration Committee dismantled the machine to prevent anyone from using it again."

"If you've any surviving records, I am certain that I can rebuild the machine," Doom boasted. "Ansem's intellect is nothing when compared to DOOM'S!"

"There may yet be another way," Maleficent explained as her eyes drifted over to Hook. "Whilst I was working towards creating the Final Keyhole, Ansem himself was pursuing another route to Kingdom Hearts. By using a special doorway and the hearts of destroyed worlds, he was able to summon Kingdom Hearts for himself."

"Oy," Hades sighed as he massaged his temples. "Now I'm startin' to remember why I was glad we ditched this Kingdom Hearts booga-booga: everything is over-complicated."

"The doorway was created by a repurposed portal device left in the ruins of the world that once was known as Treasure Planet," Maleficent explained. "And now we have our own means of recreating that door."

Hook nodded solemnly in understanding. " _Me_."

"What was that, dearie?" Grimhilde asked. "I'm not certain how you tie into all this."

"Hadn't you heard?" Hook asked smugly. "I'm one of only three people in the universe who can work that portal device."

Loki gaped at the pirate. "How is a mortal like yourself capable of such a feat?"

Hook shrugged and smirked. "Suppose I'm just more important to the universe than you, mate. Stings, doesn't it?"

"Enough," Maleficent ordered. "There is still much we have yet to parse out, but I intend to pursue this endeavor and wished to include you all in the conversation."

"Also, dunno what it means, but, hey, we _did_ just get through messin' with keys and portals in Olliewood," Hades pointed out. "Could come in handy on this lil' undertaking."

"You mean _Overtaking_ , HA!" Ursula declared with a laugh. "Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say we're all on board." Everyone in attendance silently affirmed that Ursula was correct. "But I do have a loose end I need to tie up. A little potion I've been waiting to use since before we went to Oz!"

"And I have a score I wish settled back on my home world as well," Doom added.

"As I said, there is still much to be learned before we can pursue Kingdom Hearts," Maleficent said. "In the meantime, you are all free to pursue your own goals as always. I look forward to hearing of the outcomes of these excursions."

Ursula held up the small wooden box containing the Polybotes poison she'd purchased off of Avalos. "Oh trust me, you're not gonna wanna miss a second of what comes next."

* * *

Doom and Loki stood on the bridge leading to the ruins of Castle Doom. The two stared wistfully at the rubble that had once been an elegant stronghold of fear and power whose ruler shook nations. Now it was only a shell of its former self. The rest of Latveria around the castle reflected that disheveled shell. Without Doom's leadership, the country had been plunged into recession and political turmoil. But all of that would end today.

"If we do this, Odin and Stark will not give us a moment's peace," Loki advised. "Are you certain you're prepared for that?"

"Latveria is my home," Doom answered. "This devastation tortures me inside, and I have not had a single peaceful night's sleep knowing what has become of my kingdom. Confrontation with the All-Father and S.H.I.E.L.D. is inevitable, no matter our course of action. But with Olympus under our control, we have the power to destroy them. I will not leave my kingdom in ruins out of fear of igniting the flame."

"Then by all means, Victor, proceed," Loki said as he gestured dramatically towards the ruins.

Doom stepped forward towards the castle and gestured as though he intended to begin. Yet he paused a moment before proceeding.

"Victor?" Loki asked.

"When last I attempted to restore Latveria, Morgan le Fay interfered," Doom answered. "Though I suppose we've no fear of that any longer."

"Indeed not," Loki said with a mild sneer, loathing that even in death the witch's shadow still hung over them. "Rest assured, I will destroy anything the threatens to interrupt your process."

"That I do not doubt for a single moment," Doom replied, earning a smile from Loki.

Doom clapped his hands together, and they began to spark with yellow energy and electricity until the connection was made. Doom slowly pulled his hands apart as a bright blue cube formed from the yellow electricity as the chronal energies congealed. The time cube continued to grow and expand as it flew above Doom's head, and it got even bigger as it flew over top the ruins of Castle Doom and poured out temporal energy. The silhouette of Castle Doom began to shift and change as it started to resemble its past self once more.

All around the capitol city of Doomstadt, Latverians began to leave their homes and go out into the streets to see what the brilliant blue light was. The citizens gasped, some cried, and some sank to their knees in gratitude when they saw the castle being restored right before their eyes. Some of their hearts soared with relief and hope at their beloved Doom's return, whilst others trembled in fear at the notion of their tyrannical monarch returning to power. Yet everyone agreed that one thing was true: the Latveria of today would not be the Latveria of tomorrow.

The blue light faded away as Doom dismissed his time cube and outstretched his arms in triumph as he took in the sight of Castle Doom, no longer a ruin but a powerful fortress once more. Satisfied with his work, Doom twirled his cape and escorted Loki into the castle. The interior was just the way he'd left it.

"At the risk of sounding sentimental," Doom began, "the visit to Oz has indeed reminded me of one simple truth: there _is_ no place like home!"

"Home indeed," Loki remarked as a patrol of Doombots approached the couple.

"Spread the word to every corner of Latveria," Doom ordered his robots. " _DOOM_ HAS RETURNED!"

The Doombots bowed and began to fly off to follow their master's orders. As Doom and Loki proceeded into the throne room of the castle, Doom let out a sigh of contentment.

"This was where it all began," Doom reminisced. "The Masters of Evil, our quest to steal Odin's powers... _everything_."

"Yes I recall a rather exquisite first that happened on yon throne," Loki said slyly.

"Perhaps such a momentous occasion calls for a encore performance," Doom suggested, picking up Loki's hint.

Loki let out a raucous laugh as he led Doom over to the throne. "Quite so, Victor, quite so. Now then, my body aches for you inside it. Sit upon your throne, and I shall sit upon _mine_."

* * *

Gwen Stacy kicked off her high heels as she entered her apartment and brought in the groceries. As she started towards the kitchen to put her perishables in the refridgerator, she sighed wistfully to herself.

"What a day," she said.

"Tough day at the office, hon'?" a man's voice asked from the living room, causing Gwen to drop her groceries in fright and turn to face the source of the voice. "Mine was a _killer!_ "

Her heart started pounding in her chest when she saw the face of her intruder. Demented and crueler than she'd remembered, she recognized the face of Norman Osborn, completely unaware that beneath the familiar face was someone much worse.

"Norman," she whispered. "You... you're _dead!_ "

"Yes and no, it's a wonderfully convoluted story that I don't have time to tell," the Goblin replied. "But enough about me. Let's talk about _you_."

"I know why you're here," Gwen said as she slowly and subtly reached for her cell phone to dial 911.

"Do you now?" the Goblin asked. "Can't a man just drop in to visit his favorite intern?"

"You're not going to get the children," Gwen warned him. "It was a closed adoption. Even I don't know where they ended up. They're safe from your clutches."

The Goblin laughed a bit under his breath and approached Gwen slowly. "Even with all Osborn's resources, he couldn't find you. I'm impressed, Miss Stacy. How'd you manage your little disappearing act?"

"We all have our secrets," Gwen replied, having successfully called 911 behind her back and letting the phone stay on the line for the police to track. "Maybe I'll tell you mine if you tell me why Norman Osborn isn't dead."

The Goblin smirked and wagged his finger. "Tenacious as always, I see. But no matter. I can put the pieces together. Your policeman father pulled some strings and got you into Witness Protection, didn't he? And then after I was announced dead, you thought it was safe to return to New York, eh? That about right?"

"Clearly I was wrong," Gwen said. "So what now? Are you going to kill me?"

The Goblin sneered at that but did not answer. "Tell me, do you love Peter Parker?"

"You stay the Hell away from Peter!" Gwen said. "Whatever this is, it's between me and you. It was _my_ mistake to ever get involved with you, not Peter's."

"Oh, sweetheart," the Goblin said as he ran his fingers over Gwen's hair. "He hasn't told you, has he?"

Gwen furrowed her brow. "What?"

The Goblin leaned in uncomfortably close to Gwen before whispering, "You're not the only one who was injudicious enough to spurn my affections."

* * *

Watts grimaced at the sight in front of him. He had a fairly strong stomach; it was a necessary adaptation for one working as a doctor, particularly one specializing in amputations and prosthetics. However, the horror in front of him was enough to disgust him down to the marrow. Years and years of medical training could not have prepared him for this most horrific of things: _teenage boys_.

Sid and Kieran were sitting on the other side of the table, having a competition to see who could manage to shove the most pizza into his mouth. The sight was appalling to Watts, yet no one else in Joe's Pizzeria seemed to pay them any mind.

"How can you stomach this?" Watts asked as he leaned over to Scar.

Scar, however, was currently ravenously ripping apart a Meat Lovers pizza. He was not yet adept at using his hands or any utensils, so he was eating the pizza the way any lion would: by shoving his face into the food and tearing it up with his teeth.

"Suddenly I've lost my appetite," Watts said as he slid the plate with his untouched slice of pizza across the table towards the human garbage disposals. "How on earth did I get stuck playing the role of a single father of two teenagers and one pet lion?"

"I am a sophisticated king!" Scar asserted with his mouth full of meat and grease dripping down his beard.

Watts sighed and wordlessly passed Scar a napkin.

"Whatever happened to Goblin anyways?" Kieran asked as he finally stopped inhaling pizza to take a sip of his Dr. Pepper. "I thought he went with you guys?"

"He saw some blonde ex of his and told us to take a hike," Sid said in between bites of pizza. "Guess he wanted to handle it by himself. We're kinda just killing time to make sure he doesn't get himself killed. That's why I called you."

"I was so looking forward to getting a taste of action," Scar lamented as he tried to lick the grease off his lips.

"I think you've done quite enough _tasting_ for one day, your majesty," Watts said.

"Can I get you guys anything?" the attractive young waiter asked as he came over to the table to collect the dirty dishes. "More soda? Another slice?"

"I, uh, I'm... I'm... I'm cute," Sid stuttered. "I mean, I'm cool. Good. I'm good. Thank you."

"Okay," the waiter said with a laugh. "Well just let me know if you need anything."

"You too!" Sid said back before realizing what he'd said. "I mean, will do! Yeah... Sorry. Yes!"

The waiter walked away, leaving Sid blushing profusely.

"You are so obvious," Watts said as he shook his head.

Kieran suddenly had a profound urge to stab the waiter that he fought to suppress. He didn't really know why, however. He hadn't minded the waiter until Sid started trying (and failing) to flirt with him. Kieran decided he was just being homophobic and resolved to just not be anymore. After all, most of the Overtakers weren't straight, and it simply wouldn't do to let internalized bigotry mess with a good thing. All the same, Kieran couldn't deny how nasty the waiter's existence made him feel.

"Now then, let's see if our dear Goblin friend has made any waves yet," Watts said as he tapped one of his rings to hack the restaurant's television, changing the channel.

"Hey! I was watchin' the Mets game!" a pissed off patron shouted at his waiter.

The waiter apologetically attempted to get the TV back to the game, but Watts was in complete control of the device now, flipping through various news channels and scanning the headlines for anything relevant to the Green Goblin or Gwen Stacy. Watts stopped flipping when a news show depicting a mustached man with a gray flat top haircut came up on the screen.

"Ah, what have we here?" Watts asked.

"No offense, but his mustache is better than yours," Sid remarked, earning a glare from Watts.

"Sources are coming in reporting that Oscorp is auctioning off the technology of Otto Octavius," J. Jonah Jameson reported. "Now, just to be clear, folks. Oscorp is selling advanced scientific equipment and notes that were created by a MANIAC! A maniac, who I'll remind you all, not only kidnapped an innocent girl and wrecked a train, both of which were partially the fault of that masked menace Spider-Man, but also nearly DESTROYED our entire city with a DOOMSDAY MACHINE! Said doomsday machine is LITERALLY BEING SOLD at this auction! And instead of destroying this very dangerous technology like any SENSIBLE corporation would, Oscorp is going to put a device that nearly destroyed the city, at best, in the hands of some weirdo who thinks it's cool to own something so dangerous or, at worst, in the hands of a nut-job who wants to recreate the experiment and kill us all! So, my friends, should you be worried and living in fear? The answer is pretty clear: YES!"

"It simply would be dreadful if someone founded that high strung man's worst fears, now wouldn't it?" Watts asked with a devious smirk. "After all, it would be the type of productive anarchy that you three need to channel your... _impulses_."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Scar said as he puffed his chest and pretended not to have grease stains on his face. "I am a king, refined and regal, and thus I have no base impulses to channel."

"Of course you don't," Watts said with a roll of his eyes.

"Wait, wait, this just in," Jameson said. "There's just been some breaking news. Gwen Stacy, the daughter of police chief and decorated hero George Stacy, has been abducted from her Manhattan apartment. Eye-witness accounts report sightings of the long dormant supervillain the Green Goblin in the area, who is believed to be linked to the crime."

Jameson began to trail off on a tangent about the Goblin and Spider-Man, but Watts had no interest in anything further.

"Ah, it seems the curtain has risen on this little show," Watts remarked. "Forget the Octavius technology. It appears we won't be needed on this world for much longer...."

* * *

_The heart beats. Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

The cold wind whips around the bridge. The George Washington Bridge. This is the place where he brought _her_ last time. The other one. A choice left unfulfilled. There was too wide a margin for error. This time is going to be different.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

A red and blue blur off in the distance. Of course he's come. Of course he knows exactly _where_ to come. It's unfinished business, a chapter left unwritten. He was so young then. So naïve to the ways of the world. Peter's not much older now. Still young. Still beautiful. Still strong. Still _weak_. Weak to the wiles of his own heart.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

But the truth must be acknowledged: he would have made an excellent partner. They could have ruled the city together. He was so much better than Harry ever was. Smarter. More beautiful. The "what-might-have-been" eats away at the soul. At the _heart_.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

They speak, but they can barely hear their own words. The words don't matter compared to the rushing of their minds. The words are there to fill up space until the inevitable clash. That's how it has always been. Empty words and taunts to mask the racing thoughts within.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

The fight is exactly like last time. No one thinking. No strategy. No one's head is clear. It's raw and emotional. A fist here, a bomb there, a kick and then a web. The bodies move in a familiar dance of acting and reacting. It's thrilling and terrifying and exhilarating all at once. To feel his body moving in synchrony. It's the closest they'll ever get.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

A stumble. They fall. Peter manages to cling to the beams of the bridge and save himself. Falling. Still falling towards the water. But the glider is salvation. It's a reunion of his own. The battle isn't done yet.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

He's heading for the girl. He's heading for cursed victory. His victory means the Goblin's defeat. It always does.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

The rockets accelerate. They're going to reach the girl at the same time. All is not yet lost. For either one. They inch closer.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

Green hands clutch her wrist. The glider slaps him away. She's all his. The last time they were here, words were said. "We are who we choose to be. Now choose!" And he has chosen. They both have. And so he lets go...

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

She falls...

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

He screams and stumbles to fire a lone web. It reaches out like a hand desperate to catch... A hand that would never be extended to one damned by goblins and the vagaries of time...

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

The web catches her boot...

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

Snap.

He's won? No. No. He only _thinks_ he has. Foolish hope and heroic pride blind him to the simple, cold truth of physics.

He grabs her. He holds her. She doesn't respond. He speaks to her as if she's going to hear.

He puts a finger to her neck to feel her pulse...

_Silence._

The victory is decided. Peter's cries of anguish and grief are music to withered ears. She's gone. He's destroyed inside. And the Goblin did the deed. Now there's only one thing left to do: _laugh_.

_AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning is for character death, namely that of Gwen Stacy.
> 
> J. Jonah Jameson is from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy.
> 
> I wanted to try something different for Gwen's death here. I just couldn't make myself be interested in just novelizing the same iconic death from the comics and numerous other adaptations, but I also didn't want to change it up too much since it's one of those deaths that is so iconic. I wanted to keep it as in tact as possible. The stream of consciousness retelling from the Goblin's point of view was the best way I knew how to do it. Maybe it worked; maybe it's terrible. I don't know. You tell me.


	17. Hellfire, Dark Fire

Hook took another sip from his flask only to find that he'd already guzzled the last drop of rum. He scowled at the empty flask and tossed it aside. If he was in his room back in the Eminence Palace, he could simply ring one of the goblins to get him more, but Hook had opted to drink away the afternoon in his quarters on the Jolly Roger. Whenever he felt uncertain or lost in the world, being aboard his ship always made him feel more like himself again. As of the revelations regarding his mother and his greater cosmic purpose, he needed the stability of the ship more than ever.

"Cap'n?" a voice accompanying a knock called from the other side of the door.

"Aye, come in," Hook replied.

Mullins, an eye-patch wearing pirate who was one of Hook's longest lasting crew members, entered the captain's quarters looking quite perturbed.

"Go on, spit it out, man," Hook said with a groan. "What's wrong?"

"It's the prince, cap'n," Mullins answered. "Now I been with ye a long time. I was there when the Dark One killed Milah, and when Baelfire decided he wanted nothin' to do with ye, and when Pan thought it'd be right funny to-"

"I get the point, you idiot!" Hook snapped. "I don't need a chronicle of my misery!"

"Right, well, I been a loyal man to you, cap'n," Mullins continued. "But yer decision to let Prince Hans take Smee's job as first mate don't sit right."

"Are you questioning my orders?" Hook replied darkly. "Because I can take your other eye just as quickly as Pan got the first one."

"No! No, cap'n!" Mullins quickly said. "Yer orders and wisdom were sound. It's just that _Hans_ isn't exactly complyin' with them."

"What is he doing?" Hook asked as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

"See for yerself, cap'n," Mullins said.

Hook rose to his feet and stumbled slightly. Too much rum. After taking a moment to clear his head and regain his bearings, Hook confidently stormed out of his quarters and out onto the deck. The sight that greeted him disgusted him. Hans and Demyx were lounging about in hammocks tied side by side between two masts and the railing. Turk and Black Murphy were fanning the two young men with large palm leaves whilst Bill Jukes and Mr. Starkey were hand feeding them grapes one by one.

"Didn't I tell you this was the life, babe?" Hans asked.

"Oh yeah!" Demyx agreed. "No hard work or responsibilities."

"Exactly," Hans said. "And the best part? There's no... Excuse me, Turk. A little to the left, I need the shade just right, remember?"

Turk grunted in frustration and adjusted his position to block the sun.

"Thank you," Hans said. "Now what was I saying?"

"I dunno, I wasn't actually listening," Demyx admitted.

"Ah, who cares?" Hans said. "The point is that dirty pirate captain doesn't know what he had right at his fingertips."

When the other pirates saw Captain Hook approaching, they immediately dropped what they were doing and scurried off. Hook let them. They weren't his target, after all.

"Um, Turk? Where's my shade?" Hans asked, never bothering to open his eyes.

Hook stepped into the position where Turk had been standing, offering Hans the shade he desired.

"Much better," Hans said. "Also, I can't feel the fan."

"Can you feel THIS?" Hook asked as he grabbed Hans by the shirt collar and yanked him up off the hammock.

"C-c-captain?" Hans stuttered. "Oh, I was just... I mean... Um... y'know making sure the crew...."

"If you don't stop talking, I'll throw you overboard," Hook threatened, earning Hans's silence.

"Welllll, I think I really should be going," Demyx said as he attempted to slip away.

Two Air Pirate Heartless manifested directly in Demyx's path and restrained him as he yelped with surprise.

"No such luck, mate," Hook said before turning back to Hans. "Now what am I going to do about you?"

Hans let out a nervous laugh. "Um, strip me of my rank, banish me from the Jolly Roger, and leave me to fend for myself amongst the other Overtakers?"

"Nice try, but I'm not letting you off that easily," Hook said. "You turned _my ship_ into your personal spa resort. So I think it's time you paid for room and board."

Hook dropped Hans who landed with a thud on the deck. "You kept my crew from doing their chores, so _you're_ going to do them. _Both_ of you. I want this ship's deck to shine! And if I find one speck of dirt, one single barnacle on her, I'll make you both walk the plank. Now get to work!"

As Hans and Demyx scrambled to get the cleaning supplies, the various crew members applauded Captain Hook's judgment.

"What are the rest of you lollygagging about for?" Hook shouted at them. "You know your jobs, _go do them!_ "

The pirate crew all nodded and ran amok trying to avoid incurring the wrath of their captain. Hook sighed with exasperation and returned to his quarters. Hook knew right away that someone was coming. Though he didn't have his colleagues' sense for magic, he recognized the stench of darkness enough to know a Corridor of Darkness opening when it happened. Add into the mixture the scent of expensive Arabian cologne, and Hook knew exactly who to expect.

"A firm and strict captain as always," Jafar remarked as he materialized on the bed.

"A firm and strict captain in need of rum," Hook countered as he held up his empty flask.

Jafar rolled his eyes and magically refilled the flask. Hook greedily took a swig and enjoyed the sweet burn of the rum on its way down.

"Thank you, love, I needed that," Hook said with a contented sigh.

"Now, if you're sufficiently inebriated, are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?" Jafar asked.

Hook thought about lying or brushing off Jafar's question, but he knew that wouldn't work. Jafar always won, so there was no point in delaying the game.

"Everything involving my mother is weighing on my mind," Hook admitted. "I suppose I should be more concerned about the present... about my future role in all this, but I'm not. The prospect of having such a grand purpose feels only fitting for a man of my greatness, and I look forward to fulfilling it."

Jafar beamed at that. "If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed those words had come from my own mouth."

"What can I say, you've been a bad influence," Hook replied with a grin.

"But what's this about your mother?" Jafar asked. "Surely you're not mourning her anew."

"No, she was never in my life to begin with," Hook said. "And I suppose that's exactly what's weighing on me... if Maleficent is to be believed, she and I were quite a bit alike. Both pirates, free spirited, a little dark, a little daring... I could have used someone like that growing up. Not my coward of a father or my self-righteous brother."

"You wanted someone who could finally understand you," Jafar offered, "and it burns to know you were so close to having it, and yet you still did not."

"Exactly," Hook said with a sigh. "The man I was before my resurrection would have been loathed to speak an ill word against Liam, but with the clarity afforded to me now, I have the freedom to be honest. He was always so noble, so righteous, so determined to be different from our father, and he tried to push me into being the same. I tried so hard to please him and to be the perfect Naval lieutenant in spite of every urge inside of me craving a darker path. I was surrounded by honorable men and perfect soldiers, none of whom truly cared about me or thought of me as anything more than Liam's unwanted brother. It wasn't until I embraced the darkness inside of me and became a pirate that I truly felt acceptance and camaraderie."

"As you can imagine, I am intimately familiar with the feeling," Jafar admitted. "I was sent away to boarding school as a child with other children of wealthy Agrabanians. My peers never appreciated me and thought me nothing more than a strange child worthy of ridicule and derision. No one wanted to know me. They were all too concerned with their frivolities and nobility and strength to concern themselves with my brilliance."

"Why is it always that way?" Hook asked. "Why are our peers always so insufferable whether it's childhood or adulthood?"

"Because ordinary people _are_ insufferable," Jafar answered. "You and I were simply made extraordinary, and those miserable wretches exist only to be the dull in comparison to our luster."

"Well it's lonely not being ordinary, or at least not having other extraordinary ones around," Hook said with a sigh. "I suppose I should be grateful I have a true family now."

"Indeed so," Jafar said. "Loathed though I am to share power, the Overtakers have come to prove to me exactly how much I value having those I might even dare to call _friends_."

Hook held up his flask to propose a toast. "Then I suppose here's to friends who understand you more than missing mothers and ordinary peers."

Jafar summoned a cup of coffee to his hands and clanked it against Hook's flask. "Hear, hear! No one else truly deserves us!"

The two men took a sip of their drinks to commemorate the toast.

"So, you were there, weren't you?" Hook asked as he stuffed his flask back into his pocket.

"I was where?" Jafar asked.

"With Maleficent the first time she sought Kingdom Hearts," Hook clarified. "You know what she needs to open that door once I create it."

"The Seven Princesses of Heart," Jafar offered. "Let's see, there's Aurora, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Alice, Kairi, and Jas- _NO_."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Hook asked.

Jafar turned and looked Hook in the eyes as he answered. "We _killed_ one of the seven we need."

* * *

Maleficent and Hades's lips were interlocked, and neither of them were particularly eager to break the connection. After everything involving Aghoul, they were in desperate need of some alone time. Though the two of them did not have sex, Maleficent and Hades had found a great deal of pleasure in kissing. Being with Hades taught Maleficent firsthand the power of love's first kiss... and second kiss... and third kiss.... and fourth and fifth and sixth and so on. Finally the two pulled apart for air.

"Babe, lemme just tell ya, you are beautiful," Hades said with a smile. "Knock out gorgeous, call Aphrodite, there's a new Fairest of All!"

Maleficent laughed and ran a hand over Hades's chest. "Do not speak so loudly. If Grimhilde or Amora hears, I shall have a civil war on my hands."

"Ah, let 'em hear," Hades said as he pressed his forehead against hers. "I'll fight that war with my bare hands if I gotta."

"Now _that_ would be quite the sight to see," Maleficent replied.

"There ain't no war like a Hades war, 'cuz a Hades war don't stop until they're all permanent residents _down under!_ " Hades declared.

"You paint such a lovely picture," Maleficent said with a light chuckle.

The sound of wings fluttered above as Diablo flew into the room. Maleficent extended her hand outward and allowed the raven to land on her wrist.

"Oy, never fails, ya get in the mood and the bird shows up," Hades griped.

"Yes, my pet?" Maleficent asked.

The raven cawed and squawked its answer, and Maleficent gasped.

"Erm, hello, I don't speak bird," Hades reminded her.

"Diablo has found Hercules!" Maleficent said with a grin.

Hades flared up a bright shade of red. "OHOHO, just hearing that YUTZ'S name makes me want to EXPLODE!"

"Patience, my dear, patience," Maleficent said as she gently caressed her partner's face. "Save your fires for the boy. We shall attend to him personally."

Maleficent tapped her staff against the stone floor and engulfed herself and Hades in a Corridor of Darkness that quickly whisked them away from the Eminence Palace. When the darkness cleared, the two villains found themselves outside of a large cathedral at sunset.

"Whoa! What a palace!" Hades remarked. "Whoever built this place definitely got some bang for their drachma."

"Notre Dame Cathedral," Maleficent explained. "A bastion of faith amongst all Christendom."

"Oy, _monotheists_ ," Hades griped. "Not exactly my favorite crowd. It's one look at me and then they start screamin' about Satan or demons or Hellfire booga-booga. And it's like, 'scuse me, do I stick _your_ rival brand's trademark on you when I see you? Nope, didn't think so! Then again, I mean, hey, I guess there just bein' one god's not the _worst_ idea. You can't have an obnoxious older brother if you're the only god in the pantheon."

"True, but _fears_ of Hellfire certainly have their place," Maleficent offered. "I have long used 'All the Powers of Hell' as a declaration of my abilities to strike fear into the hearts of mortal men."

"And I respect that, babe, I do!" Hades nodded. "Though, 'kay, somethin' just dawned on me: what is Wonder Boy doing inside a monotheistic cathedral. Kid's a son of _Zeus_. Not exactly a kosher combo if you catch my meaning."

"Then be on your guard," Maleficent warned him. "Zeus's blessing did not carry him here by mistake. There must be powerful magics at work within these halls."

Hades and Maleficent proceeded into the cathedral, entering into an immaculately decorated church with a large, beautiful stained glass rose window that cast the entire room in light. Naturally, the two villains loathed it. It didn't take them long to locate Hercules. The demigod was preoccupied lighting candles to illuminate the cathedral as night began to fall.

"How sweet," Hades said, prompting Hercules to gasp and turn to face him. "They let you light the candles. Clearly they don't know you like I do. I mean, hey, gotta give you credit, you haven't toppled _this_ temple yet."

"Hades! Maleficent!" Hercules said through gritted teeth.

"The very same!" Hades said, dramatically. "Thought you could hide from us? No such luck, babe!"

"What are you doing in my church?" the Archdeacon asked as he stormed over. "You will not harm him!"

"Stand back, you old fool!" Maleficent ordered as her staff began to glow green to punctuate her command.

Hades just laughed. "Time to finish what we started, babe! Hope you've stocked up on your drachmas, 'cuz I've booked a one-way ticket for you on the River Styx Cruise!"

Hades rushed towards Hercules, arms engulfed in flames. Hercules, however, did not move to attack or dodge. Hades thought nothing of it and brought his flaming fist down on Hercules... only to be blasted backwards by a flash of light before he could make contact. The Lord of the Dead tumbled backwards, and Maleficent shot a venomous glare in Hercules's direction.

Hades flared up a bright shade of red as he stumbled to his feet. "WHAT WAS THAT?"

"He claimed sanctuary here," the Archdeacon explained. "Within Notre Dame, darkness and evil cannot touch him."

"Catch me outside, how 'bout that, Jerkules?" Hades said through gritted teeth.

"Fascinating," Maleficent mused. "A holy spell designed to repel dark powers from other worlds, I assume. No doubt placed over this cathedral by a Key bearer, am I correct?"

"You _would_ attempt to rationalize the Lord's power by dismissing it as a simple spell," the Archdeacon said. "Perhaps it makes your atrocities easier to justify if you do not accept His power."

Maleficent threw her head back and laughed. " _His_ power, is it? I have seen far too much of the universe to believe in such trifling stories."

"Or perhaps you simply haven't taken the time to see the universe clearly," the Archdeacon suggested.

Hades scoffed. "Oh puh-lease! Don't tell me _you_ buy into this, Herc. What would your old man say?"

Hercules stood firmly next to the Archdeacon. "This world's beliefs and customs are different from the way things are back home. But no matter what's true, I know one thing: your darkness will never triumph!"

"Except it _did!_ " Hades reminded him. "You lost your home and your family because _we_ triumphed! And now you're hiding behind some old geezer talkin' in platitudes while the rest of the worlds out there fall to yours truly."

"I'm quite certain you have violated countless of Philoctetes's hero rules by remaining idle," Maleficent added. "What would your trainer think? For that matter, what would _Megara_ think? I sincerely doubt that you've spoken to her since your crippling defeat."

"Ooh, that's a good burn!" Hades complimented Maleficent. "I should'a thought of it myself!"

The two villains' words definitely seemed to strike Hercules worse than any of Hades's blows would have. He was visibly shaken, and not even the sympathetic hand of the Archdeacon on his shoulder could change that. Maleficent twirled her cloak, and she and Hades proceeded towards the exit.

"The prison you've chosen is truly magnificent, but it is no less a prison," Maleficent stated. "Should you ever step beyond these walls, we will destroy you as easily as we did your family."

The doors of Notre Dame slammed shut with an echo as Maleficent and Hades exited out into the square, which by now had been cast in blue light by the evening sky.

"Oy, the nerve of that kid," Hades griped. "I say we burn this city to the ground to smoke him outta there!"

"As tantalizing an idea as that is, why expend the energy?" Maleficent asked. "Did you not see how thoroughly defeated he is? As long as he remains in the cathedral, he's of no threat to us, and perhaps it is better to allow the fool to live on with his guilt."

"Eh, good point," Hades relented. "Makin' him have to live with the fact that I beat him _is_ poetic justice since he did the same thing to me. Still, gotta say, lettin' him live isn't exactly my preference here. That kid's like a cockroach. Every time ya think he's done for, he pops back up to ruin EVERYTHING! We're gonna need a contingency plan at the very least."

"I agree," Maleficent nodded. "As long as he is able to retreat back to the cathedral, we have no power to harm him. Our other adversaries could also used the sanctuary to their advantage as well. It repels darkness from other worlds, so none of our current allies would be of use."

"But a home grown baddie could do the trick, right?" Hades suggested. "I mean, if it's only blocking darkness from the wild blue yonder, then maybe a villain from _this_ world can do the trick."

"Yes, I believe so," Maleficent nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, Blackheart knows this world. Perhaps he will know a suitable candidate."

Hades put his thumb and index finger to his lips and let out an ear-piercing whistle. "BLACKHEART! NEED YA, BABE!"

The demon prince emerged from the darkness as soon as he was summoned.

"Hey daddy! Hey mommy!" Blackheart said with a smug grin. "You rang?"

"I have told you explicitly in the past not to refer to me as such," Maleficent responded. "You would do well to honor my requests."

"Look, Blackheart, babe, you know this world, right?" Hades chimed in before Blackheart could say something offensive and derail the conversation.

"Hmm? Yeah, I do," Blackheart nodded. "A great hive of sin and darkness. Though it's not as much fun since the judge died. He's what made this place so dark to begin with. I brought Ardyn here a while back, and it was disgustingly saccharine."

"The judge, is it?" Maleficent asked. "Tell me more."

"Claude Frollo," Blackheart answered. "He was this über religious judge... or I guess he was a minister when he died? Doesn't matter. Frollo was trying to murder off all the gypsies to purge the world of sin, not even realizing that _his_ sins were the ones spreading the darkness. Went _SPLAT_ into a pool of lava right where we're standing. He was a crazy old coot! Great musical numbers, though."

"Eh, über religious racists aren't exactly our brand," Hades said. "I mean Steve _used_ to be one, but he got better."

"True enough," Maleficent said. "Perhaps we'd best seek another candidate."

"Hey, don't knock Frollo until you try him," Blackheart said. "He's got a grudge against Sora and Riku from the Realm of Sleep, which bodes well for us. He's also a damned soul, meaning he's in the perfect position to get firmly under our control, _and_ he's good at the villain game. If you're looking for a recruit, I say give him a chance to prove himself. If he pisses people off, we can always stick him back where we found him."

Hades narrowed his eyes as he looked at Blackheart. "You just wanna hear his musical number, don't ya?"

"It's a very good song," Blackheart admitted.

"Very well then," Maleficent said. "Hades, if you will."

"This the actual spot he went ker-splat?" Hades asked.

Blackheart nodded, and Hades summoned forth a patch of blue fire on the cobblestone. The fires burned and swirled and rose up higher and higher until they took the shape of a man. Hades snapped his fingers, and the flames immediately snuffed themselves out, leaving behind the translucent soul of an old man in billowing robes. Hades's hands began to glow red, and the spirit followed, gaining flesh and bone and color. After a few seconds, the red light dissipated, and Frollo stood before the three.

"Where... am I?" Frollo asked. "Is... is this another of Hell's deceptions?"

'"Not at all," Maleficent replied. "In fact, you have returned to the land of the living from your damnation."

Frollo glanced up to see the familiar sight of Notre Dame and gasped. "Then He has realized that there _was_ indeed a mistake! I knew I could not have truly been given eternal damnation for carrying out the Lord's work."

"HA! Yeah, no, no mistake, ya did," Hades chimed in. "You earned that spot in Hell. Mass murder and pyromania will do that. _We_ sprung you. Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead."

Frollo's eyes widened and he recoiled. "Then _you_ are Satan!"

Hades gritted his teeth in frustration. "This is EXACTLY why I hate monotheists. I'm already sick of him. Can we put him back already and try someone else?"

"Minister Frollo, I am Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil," she said as she approached the old man. "The being you know as Satan was known to us as Mephisto."

"My dad!" Blackheart chimed in.

"We did away with him when he rivaled our power," Maleficent continued. "We are not affiliated with the devil you fear, nor are we in league with your Lord."

"Then what are you?" Frollo asked.

"We are the Overtakers," Maleficent answered, "a group of villains dedicated to the conquest of the entire universe."

"Villains? _Sinners_ , you mean," Frollo sneered.

"Just like you," Maleficent pointed out.

"I imposed righteous judgment!" Frollo insisted.

"Then why did your God damn you to Hell?" Maleficent asked.

Frollo did not have an answer to that question and thus remained silent as it weighed on his mind.

"Your God has forsaken you and did not truly deserve or appreciate your service," Maleficent asserted. "But no matter. Our organization has a use for your talents, and you are welcome as you are... provided that you do not disturb our fellow allies. I understand that we also have a common enemy: the ones who wield the Keyblade, Sora and Riku."

"You mean those oddly dressed boys in league with the gypsies?" Frollo asked with a sneer. "Oh yes, we have a score to settle indeed."

"A score to be settled in due time, I assure you," Maleficent replied. "For now, they are no longer a concern, but they _shall_ be destroyed when all is said and done."

"I suppose we do have a common goal," Frollo relented. "But if I was to be damned for my righteous service, surely this will result in further damnation."

"Actually, no, you're in the clear with us," Hades interjected. "Remember me? Lord of the Dead? A signing bonus is that your soul is committed to _my_ Underworld instead, and, hey, if ya do a good job, eternal life just might be in the cards for ya."

"This is no trick?" Frollo asked suspiciously.

"As the son of Satan himself, lemme just tell you, they're offering you a better deal than you're going to find anywhere else in the cosmos," Blackheart chimed in. "I'd take the deal if I were you."

"Then I suppose I shall consent to becoming one of your Overtakers," Frollo said with a grin. "Perhaps we might also add destroying those heathen gypsies to our objectives."

"Yeah, no, we don't do ethnic cleansing," Hades said. "That's the _wrong_ kind of evil."

"I would also be remiss to neglect mentioning that one of your superiors _is_ a gypsy," Maleficent said. "Victor is and always will be your superior, and if you so much as insult him, he is well within his rights to destroy you."

"WHAT? No! I shall NOT!" Frollo declared.

"Very well, Hades, return him to Hell," Maleficent said.

"Wait! Wait a moment!" Frollo hastily said. "Perhaps... I have been too harsh in my judgment. I am... unaccustomed to your ways. Permit me a chance to prove myself."

"I do not take insubordination lightly," Maleficent warned. "I have assembled my Overtakers with great care and fostered fellowship amongst them. Should you prove a disruptive presence, our association will be ended at once."

"I understand and apologize for any offense," Frollo said. "I shall treat all of my new allies well... including the gypsy."

"See to it," Maleficent said as she opened a Corridor of Darkness. "Now come along, Minister. We have much to speak about."

* * *

The dark rooftop at night may have hid Watts, Kieran, Sid, and Scar from the view of city-goers down below, but the Green Goblin knew exactly where to find them. He landed his glider several feet away and dismounted to rejoin his allies.

"We saw the news," Watts said with a smirk. "It seems you were a successful boy."

The Goblin cackled at that. "I wish I could've ripped off Spider-Man's mask and gotten to look into his eyes as he realized she was dead. I'll just have to content myself with his screams of anguish... and _hers_."

Scar smirked. "Tell me, isn't it exhilarating throwing someone to their death? Watching them fall and slowly realizing that this is their end?"

"You! _You_ understand me!" the Goblin replied.

Kieran simply shrugged and held up his hunting knife. "I prefer a more _personal_ touch."

Sid laughed awkwardly but said nothing. He suspected he was the only one present who had never killed anyone, and he wasn't entirely sure that he really wanted to. He loved destruction, chaos, and stealing stuff, but murder had always seemed like something so distant and unfathomable to him. Now he was fully in league with others with multiple murders under their belts that they would proudly brag about. As much as Sid enjoyed being an Overtaker, he hoped that he wouldn't be expected to kill anyone to remain on their good side.

"Now then, we'd probably best return home," the Goblin advised. "Spider-Man is out for my blood, and though I could simply squash him like a bug, I want him to suffer _alive_ for a while. I want him to know what I did, and what he failed to stop!"

"Fair enough," Watts said. "Though I did want to steal that Octavius technology I was hearing about. Perhaps a quick detour on our way home?"

Watts pulled out his phone and began to search for information concerning the auction in the local news.

"Please!" Kieran said. "I'm itching for some _action!_ "

"Let me just check on... WHAT?" Watts loudly reacted to something on his phone.

"Is something wrong?" Sid asked.

"It says there was a break in at the Octavius auction," Watts reported. "The doomsday device that terrorized the entire city was stolen!"

"Someone beat us to the punch?" Scar asked through gritted teeth.

"No, Scar, we all experienced an out of body experience and conducted this heist without knowing it," Watts replied sarcastically. "Of _course_ someone beat us to the punch!"

"Who could have done this?" Kieran asked.

"I don't know," Watts said. "Though reports are coming in that the thieves were wearing black and white demon masks...."

* * *

Mr. Negative supervised as his Inner Demons unloaded the ship containing the parts to the Octavius machine. The Mandarin's Palace in the Valley of Spirits was decorated in a style befitting imperial China, and though Mr. Negative respected his ally's taste in décor, it was a bit dated for his liking.

"And you're certain the Overtakers are unaware of the theft?" the Mandarin asked.

"They haven't bothered me since the Traverse Town incident," Mr. Negative reported, "and we took precautions to make sure they weren't watching us."

"Excellent!" the Mandarin said with a laugh. "I greatly look forward to the day I can reveal my involvement to them. I can already picture the expression on Doom and Loki's faces when they see that the Mandarin has proven himself the true master of this universe!"

"Let's not overstate our role, shall we," a third voice said as he strolled casually into the chamber.

The Mandarin sneered. "Imshael, you vile demon, go back whence you came!"

" _Choice spirit_ , which you'd do well to remember," Imshael corrected, "and also one of the Great Old Ones, so I'd watch my tone were I you."

The Mandarin simply scoffed. "Do not speak to me of respect. The fact that I continue to allow you to step foot in my palace is a far greater reward than you deserve. After all, _you_ set back the plan considerably when you were captured and ransomed by Doom and Loki."

Imshael cracked his neck and suppressed a violent outburst. "We still have loopholes and options to take advantage of Doom's immortality even with my little vow. But I'm not here to argue with you. I heard you'd gotten the Octavius machine. Does it work?"

"As best Oscorp's scientists could tell, yes," Mr. Negative answered. "My men are assembling it as we speak."

" _You_ actually get things done unlike Mandy here, bravo," Imshael remarked. "I like you."

"Do not forget who amongst us wears the Makulan Rings," the Mandarin said as he held up his hands to draw attention to the ten rings on his fingers. "The cosmic power that is quite literally at my fingertips is necessary for the completion of our plan. You ill-formed half-things love to pretend you're so above humans with your indifference, but the fact is that in your race's apathy, the balance of power shifted to those whom you deemed beneath you."

"I'm not here to fight with you or validate your tantrums, Mandarin," Imshael replied. "Believe whatever makes it easier for you to sleep at night. As long as you stick to our plan, your words amount to exactly nothing."

With his statement made, Imshael vanished from the room without so much as an indication he'd ever been there... aside from the seething expression on the Mandarin's face.

"I wish you wouldn't antagonize him so," Mr. Negative said. "I, for one, am in no hurry to make an enemy of his ilk."

"Bah! _His_ ilk has overstated their power for eons," the Mandarin said dismissively. "When the final stages of the plan come to fruition, the Great Old Ones will be _my_ servants in the new universe!"

* * *

Pain and Panic scurried along the banks of the Acheron swamp with Russell and Grimhilde following them closely. Though the two Overtakers knew to steer clear of the water itself, the mist hanging in the air was thick enough to expose them all to the Acheron's effects.

"Ugh, my joints are achin' just bein' here," Russell said with a sneer. "And I'm a vampire. Our joints _don't_ hurt. We heal too quickly for that."

"That's why they call it the River of Pain," Grimhilde said with a wince. "Even with my counter spell, every step feels as if I were walking on broken glass. At the very least, my magic keeps the pain manageable."

"Can we just start dumpin' this shit on our enemies?" Russell asked. "It's nastier than any scheme I've come up with lately."

"We don't have time to dawdle!" Panic said.

"Yeah!" Pain agreed. "We gotta get to it, QUICK!"

"Is it just me or are Hades's imps actin' more cryptic than usual?" Russell asked.

"I do not give them enough thought to consider what usual is or isn't for those two," Grimhilde answered.

"Oh, uh, I _knew_ she was mean, but she's _really_ mean," Pain said.

"But at least she's honest," Panic pointed out.

"True," Pain agreed.

"How much further?" Russell asked. "Even I'm startin' to hit my limits bein' in this swamp."

"Here we are!" Panic said as he brushed aside a clump of tall swamp grasses.

What was waiting on the other side of the grasses was well worth the anticipation. Russell and Grimhilde gasped with delight when they saw it sitting there.

"I thought it was lost after the Horned King was destroyed," Russell admitted.

"The important thing is it's _ours_ again!" Grimhilde declared with a cackle.

And in the dark light of Erebus, the fearsome face on the Black Cauldron looked more evil than ever before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mullins, Turk, Black Murphy, Bill Jukes, and Mr. Starkey are all the names of Hook's pirate crew in the Disney version of Peter Pan, so I imported their names over too their OUAT counterparts as well.
> 
> Frollo, the Archdeacon, and Notre Dame Cathedral is from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
> 
> The Mandarin and The Valley of Spirits are from Marvel: Ultimate Alliance / Marvel comics.


	18. To the Depths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for this chapter. See the footnote for details.

Doctor Doom was standing in front of a large monitor when Loki entered the room. The screen depicted a large map of the world with various red dots representing people and places of interest to Doom.

"Recreating an enemy list already?" Loki asked as he placed an arm around Doom's waist. "The devil works hard, yet you work harder."

"Our very existence warrants enemies, as you well know," Doom replied. "I am simply keeping a watchful eye on those who will, inevitably, cross us."

"Wise enough," Loki said. "And what of Richards? Which of the dots is his?"

"None," Doom answered. "My scanners have been unable to pinpoint Richards or his wife and children. The cursed Thing and that braggart the Human Torch are both indicated on my map, but it seems curious that the Fantastic Four are reduced by half."

"Perhaps they've died," Loki suggested with a smirk.

"No," Doom snapped almost too quickly for Loki's liking. "Far more likely is that Richards and his accursed family are simply off in some misshapen alternate world for what he believes is an enriching family vacation."

"True, they _are_ known for their insipid merriment," Loki agreed. "Now if only Thor would take a vacation...."

"Ah, but rest assured, my beloved," Doom said, "once Richards returns to Earth, I shall bring about _the ultimate demise of the Fantastic Four!_ "

* * *

The flames were only now starting to flicker out amidst the wreckage of the HMS Holland. What was left of the ship's deck was only just barely staying afloat. Corpses floated in the water, attracting the gluttonous attention of sea gulls and other marine birds. Captain Joel could see his left arm laying a few feet away from him, but his legs were nowhere to be found. Blood caked over every inch of him, and he cursed the day he stopped working as a stripper to sail the seven seas.

Davy Jones knelt in front of the dying man and lit his pipe. It always added a certain sense of drama to these moments that the undead pirate captain relished. He took a puff of his pipe and expelled the smoke through blowholes on either side of his face, creating a ghostly smoke around him.

"Do you fear death?" Jones asked, smoke and sputters of water splashing from his mouth as he spoke. "Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished."

"Yes," Joel nodded furiously, for he knew the legends. "I do! I do! I'll serve a hundred years aboard the Dutchman if you spare me."

Jones, however, simply laughed. "That's a matter you should take up with Captain Turner... If you _could_."

Joel's eyes widened. "But... but you're Davy Jones!"

"Aye, that I am," Jones replied. "But the Dutchman has a new captain, and _I_ have a new purpose."

The clopping of heels coupled with hysterical laughter alerted Joel to the presence of another aboard the ship. Winifred Sanderson's cape fluttered behind her like bat wings in the night's winds as she approached Jones and Joel.

"Oh yes indeed," Winnie said gleefully. "We live forever, taking the lives of all those unfortunate enough to cross our paths!"

Joel looked between the two evil grins and struggled to get away only to find that he couldn't move anywhere without his legs. Jones and Winnie simply laughed at his misfortune.

"Winifred, would you care to do the honors?" Jones asked.

"T'wouldst be my pleasure!" Winnie replied.

Bolts of lightning shot from Winnie's fingertips and fired into the dying man's chest. Winnie cackled with fiendish glee as he sputtered and writhed. Jones rose back to his feet and joined in the laughing as they watched the light leave his eyes.

"To the depths," Jones said as he tossed Joel's corpse into the waves.

Winnie clapped with delight and wrapped her arms around Jones. The two inched their faces together for a kiss. As their lips locked, a gagging noise caused them to pull away.

"That's bloody disgusting," Hook remarked as he and Maleficent appeared on the deck of the ship.

Davy Jones quickly drew his sword, and Winnie prepared herself to hurl a spell at the Overtakers.

"We had thought thou hadst forgotten us," Winnie confessed.

"I do not forget _anything_ ," Maleficent replied. "You two were simply a triviality to be dealt with when convenient."

"BAH! Yer a liar, Maleficent," Jones said. "Even with all your powers, it took you this long to find us, and I promise that you haven't gotten far _enough!_ "

"Do you wish to test that?" Maleficent asked. "I can quite easily return you to the depths from which you came."

"Now, now, let's be civilized villains, shall we?" Hook chimed in. "We invoke the right of parley. Honorless though you may be, I assume you'll keep to the code."

Jones sneered but sheathed his sword. "What do you want?"

"You two deserted the Overtakers," Hook pointed out. "That's why Maleficent's here. To bring the full fury of the Overtakers down upon you both and execute you for your transgressions. But I thought to take a page out of _your_ book and offer you a deal to forestall judgment."

"How _honorable_ of thee," Winnie quipped with a glare shot at Maleficent.

"You killed a fellow Overtaker," Maleficent responded before turning to Jones. "And you betrayed our castle to Cronus. The fact that either of you remain standing is solely by the will of Hook."

"Is it, now?" Davy Jones asked. "And what is this? Hmm? Love for yer dear old dad?"

"I forsook all love for you long ago," Hook replied. "No, you have something I want. You see, I've learned the truth you shared with Maleficent about my mother."

Jones smirked. "Ah, so that's yer angle, is it?"

"It is," Hook said. "You will tell me everything I want to know about my mother, and then you both will submit yourselves to servitude to the Overtakers to pay back your betrayal."

"And if we refuse?" Winnie asked.

"Then I shall condemn you both to Tartarus to suffer for all eternity," Maleficent answered.

"Yer a cruel woman," Jones replied with a smile. "I admire that. Very well, I accept."

"As do I," Winnie said nervously. "After all, your excellency, I always intended to-"

"Silence!" Maleficent ordered. "I leave these two in your care, Hook. See to it that they do not cause further disruptions to my plans."

Maleficent opened a Corridor of Darkness and proceeded through, leaving the pathway open for the others to follow. Jones and Winnie turned to face Hook, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Welcome to me crew," Hook said smugly.

Davy Jones scowled, but ultimately gave his son a curt little bow. "By your leave... _Captain_ Hook."

* * *

Ariel tightened the blue bow in her hair and smiled at herself in the mirror. Eric had promised to take her for a romantic boat ride back to the lagoon where they'd almost shared their first kiss, and Ariel wanted to recreate that special night right down to her outfit. That romantic evening had ended poorly with the boat capsizing and soaking them both to the bone, but it was still a memory the two of them cherished and laughed about to this day. As Ariel finished getting ready in the mirror, a loud knock came at her door.

"Open up! By order of the prince!" a harsh voice called out.

Ariel's brow furrowed. Eric's guards had never taken that tone with her before. In fact, the castle guards always laughed and smiled with her and spoke very gently despite their seemingly gruff exteriors. Ariel ran over to the door and opened it to face the guards on the other side.

"Yes? Is something wrong?" Ariel asked.

One of the guards roughly grabbed her and another snapped handcuffs onto her wrists despite her cries of protest.

"You are under arrest for high treason!" the head guard barked.

"Treason?" Ariel asked. "But I would never! Eric! HELP ME!"

"Here now, what's this then?" Grimsby, Eric's elderly manservant, asked as he stormed over. "Unhand her at once! You will not treat the princess so-"

But he didn't have a chance to speak before he was backhanded by one of the guards, causing him to stumble to the ground.

"GRIMSBY!" Ariel shrieked.

"Quiet, old man!" the head guard shouted. "We're acting upon the _prince's_ orders! Don't forget your place!"

"Eric would _never_ order this!" Ariel protested. "Let me go!"

"Take her to the prince!" the head guard ordered.

Though Ariel hated being treated this way, she very much wanted to speak with Eric at once to find out what was wrong, so she went along with the guards without much of a struggle. The guards took her out onto the balcony that overlooked the ocean. Out here, Ariel could see that the sun had already set and a dim blue light covered the area. Eric was dressed in his official princely garments whilst standing looking much fiercer and darker than Ariel had ever seen the usually quite gentle prince. Accompanying him were two women whom Ariel had never seen before. Standing next to Eric was Fish Mooney, and Cruella De Vil was sitting off to the side stroking the docile sheepdog Max (and sizing him up for a new coat).

"Eric! What's going on?" Ariel asked. "Why are you doing this? Who are these people?"

"You and I haven't been formally introduced yet, but we have a mutual friend," Fish chimed in. "Ursula sends her regards."

Ariel gasped. "Ursula? But... but that isn't possible! She's dead! Eric destroyed her!"

"So did Sora," Cruella interjected. "Didn't take that time either, did it darling?"

Ariel turned to the guards. "Don't you see? Eric's under an evil spell again! It's just like with Vanessa!"

"They won't listen to you," Fish warned as she laughed. "I have quite a persuasive touch, you know. Ursula wanted so badly to be here herself, but she had a bigger fish to fry."

"Daddy?" Ariel said as her heart sunk with dread.

"And this time, she's got a little trick up her tentacles that's positively _sickening_ ," Cruella taunted and punctuated her statement with a devilish laugh.

Ariel looked to Eric to see if there were any shades of the man she loved in him, yet she saw only his harshness. Fish Mooney's hold on him was too strong, and though Ariel hated to abandon him, she knew she had to warn her father. Her father was the only one capable of setting everything right again. She glanced down at her right hand at her father's wedding present: a ring forged of rainbow coral and infused with the trident's magic. She was a daughter of Triton, and thus the magic would work for her.

Ariel activated her ring and a pulse of energy threw the mind-controlled guards off of her. Ariel took off running for the edge of the balcony and jumped off of it. Fish Mooney open fired on the princess, but she was taken so off guard by the escape attempt that none of her shots hit their mark. Fish and Cruella ran to the end of the balcony in time to see a green mermaid tail vanish beneath the waves.

"Dammit!" Fish cursed between bared teeth. "Ursula warned me she was a slippery little thing."

"At least we still have the prince, his kingdom, and my beautiful new coat," Cruella pointed out. "The princess is inconsequential, really."

Fish simply scowled. "Let's just hope our friend in the water is ready for her."

* * *

Ariel swiftly took off as fast as her fins could carry her. She was out of practice swimming as a mermaid, but instinct soon overtook inexperience. She knew the way back to Atlantica by heart, and thus she paid very little attention to her surroundings. As such, when a blast of lightning slammed into her and sent her spiraling off course, she was taken by complete surprise. Ariel shook off the pain and looked upon her assailant: a bearded brunette man who appeared almost human if not for his indigo skin, golden armor, and still smoking trident. Though she did not recognize him as Ursula's super soldier, Charybdis, she knew enough to fear him on sight.

Ariel swam as quickly as she could, dodging lightning blast after lightning blast. Though with her adrenaline pumping, she could swim faster than almost any creature under the sea, Charybdis was no ordinary sea-creature. She knew he would overtake her quickly, and in the open sea, she was incredibly vulnerable. When Ariel spotted a sea cave that she knew led the way to the Calm Depths, she quickly took off into it. She knew she couldn't take the direct path to Atlantica, but there was a secret tunnel she and Sora had discovered that led to just outside her grotto. Knowing that it was her only chance, she took the cave route towards the sunken ship.

When Ariel finally made it to the open area with the ship, she slowed down and caught her breath. Charybdis wasn't behind her any more, so she assumed that she lost him in the Calm Depths. She took stock of her surroundings and racked her brains to remember the way to the tunnel. Once she spotted it, she made a break for it. She made it as far as the old wooden ship before she heard Charybdis exit the sea cave behind her. She gasped and quickly slid into the ship before he could spot her. She swam down into the ship and tucked herself behind the staircase.

Her heart was racing, and she could barely catch her breath. She was so unused to breathing as a mermaid that it was a struggle for her body to adjust back. Charybdis, however, didn't enter the ship, and so Ariel let out a sigh of relief. She resigned to give it a few more minutes and the head for the tunnel.

But then she heard a crack. And then another and another until it grew to be a deafening noise of wood breaking.

Ariel scream as the entire sunken ship was ripped in half by Charybdis, one half in each hand. His emotionless face locked eyes on her as she was exposed by the ship's destruction. Ariel quickly made a break for the tunnel, knowing it was her last hope of survival. Charybdis couldn't pursue her with the ship in hand, but there was one thing he _could_ do: throw the ship halves at her. Ariel tried not to think about how close the ship was as she dove into the tunnel just as the ship smashed into the cave wall, sealing the entrance and sending splinters shooting towards her. Several shards pierced her fins, but Ariel bit through the pain and proceeded forward.

She'd escaped.

Charybdis stared emotionlessly at the ruined mass of wood and rock before him. Though he knew it was likely that Ariel had simply been crushed to death, it would take time to sift through the rubble to confirm it, and Ursula would not be pleased if he left loose ends untied.

From out of nowhere, a shark lunged forward and bit his arm. He didn't even flinch. He felt no pain any longer. He turned and stabbed his trident into the heart of the sea predator. The shark became irradiated with lightning and exploded into chunks of flesh and cartilage. Charybdis didn't even react. He had no more fear, no more sympathy, no more relief, no more pain.

He had only Ursula's will, and there were still matters to serve.

* * *

King Triton swam down the halls of his palace when he heard an odd commotion coming from the throne room. He tightened his grip on the trident and swam that way to investigate. What he saw in the throne room made him gasp with horror: his loyal guards had been reduced to nothing but bones, the only thing tying them to their former positions was the now hollow armor laying around the skeletons. The bones seemed to be exuding a strange green steam that made Triton feel nauseous just being near.

"Who could have done this?" Triton asked under his breath.

"Why do you ask questions with an obvious answer?" Ursula replied as she sauntered out of the shadows. "I mean, really, how many other fabulous evil mortal enemy ex-lovers do you have?"

Triton's eyes widened. "No! You!"

Ursula smiled wickedly. " _Me_."

Triton attempted to fire his trident at Ursula, but she quickly grabbed his wrist with one of her tentacles and hurled him off course into one of the columns. Ursula attempted to swim after him, yet Triton swiftly summoned an undertow to send Ursula off course. Ursula started spinning around and caused the undertow to surround her instead. Triton fired a blast of lightning at the sea-witch, but she released the undertow, which snagged up the blast and diverted it into another column that was promptly destroyed.

"You, Zeus, Odin, Oberon... you're all the same!" Ursula shouted as she summoned her trident to her hand.

Ursula dove towards Triton, and he raised up his trident to avoid getting skewered on hers. The two began to fence with their tridents, twirling and flipping and thrashing about in the water as their weapons clashed.

"You think if you hoard power, you'll have it forever," Ursula said as she and Triton fought. "But it just makes the rest of us _hungrier!_ "

Ursula caught Triton off-guard with a sneaky blast of dark magic to the abdomen that sent him tumbling out of the palace. Ursula wasted no time following after him.

"And I refuse to starve," she finished.

Ursula grabbed Triton by the fin with her tentacle and threw him aside again. Her hands began to radiate dark magic as she summoned forth a dark bubble to hurl at Triton. The sea king managed to blast the dark bubble, but it proceeded to explode near enough to him to blast him back and disorient him. She grinned as she reached for the Polybotes poison, but she cried out in pain as something sharp lodged itself into her shoulder. Ursula ripped out the offending object and got a good look at it: a fork.

"I guess that's what a dinglehopper is actually good for, Ursula," Ariel said as she swam into view.

Ursula gritted her teeth angrily. "I have come too far to be stopped by a little _hussy!_ "

But before Ursula could attack Ariel, she was hit by a full force blast of the trident and sent tumbling away from Ariel. Ursula chastised herself for not paying better attention. A blast like that could have killed her if she hadn't cast a protection spell over her body prior to the battle. She could ill afford to take more hits like that or she'd lose all protection. Ursula quickly righted herself and fired a blast of lightning from her own trident at the swiftly approaching King Triton. Triton, however, dodged her blasts with little difficulty.

Ariel dove at Ursula from one direction with Triton coming at her from another. Triton got there first and took a swing at her with his trident, glowing with magic. Ursula parried with her own trident, but the fake one was sliced in half by the real thing. Ursula pulled backwards just as Ariel made her way there and cork-screwed herself into Ursula, slapping the sea witch with her fins. Ursula caused Ariel to recoil with a well timed exploding bubble, only to be blasted aside by Triton's trident, further weakening her protective spell.

"Ariel, you have to get away from here!" Triton called out.

"No, I won't leave you!" Ariel shouted back.

Ursula grinned, and she right away knew what to do. Ursula charged up a powerful dark spell in her hands and made it look as if she were about to throw it at Triton, causing him to react accordingly. However, at the last minute, Ursula threw the spell at Ariel.

"NO!" Triton cried out as he quickly dashed to push Ariel out of the way.

The full force of Ursula's spell slammed into Triton, knocking the sea king back and weakening him considerably. Ariel tried to rush to her father's aid, but Ursula summoned up an undertow to push Ariel and Triton away from each other. Ursula reached for what remained of the Polybotes poison and transfigured the poison into a solid shape, taking the form of a harpoon.

"This has been a long time coming," Ursula said more to herself than anyone.

Then, with all the force of the seven seas, Ursula released the harpoon.

Ariel screamed when she saw it pierce Triton's chest. The old sea king gasped for air, and it wasn't long before Triton's skin turned a sickly green. Ursula grinned with delight as Triton's flesh literally melted off his bones into green goo that dissolved in the water as foam. The sea king's bones drifted to the sea floor along with the trident and crown.

"YOU MONSTER!" Ariel shrieked with tears streaming down her face.

Ursula simply blasted Ariel to the side with a lightning spell as she proceeded towards her prizes.

"Helloooooo old friends!" Ursula said as she scooped up the trident and placed the crown on her head. "And now, princess, it's time for you to join your dear old daddy!"

Ursula turned her twisted grin on Ariel and pointed the trident at the little mermaid. Ariel gasped and attempted to swim away, but her injured fin prevented her from escaping as quickly as she normally could. Ursula had Ariel securely within the scope of her vision.

Ursula chuckled to herself. "Say good-bye, you little tramp!"

"STOPZA!" a voice cried out.

Before Ursula had time to react to the strange cry, she was frozen, unable to move, as if trapped between two tics of the clock. Ariel looked on at her with a puzzled expression. The caster of the spell, however, quickly made himself known. A merman with a red tail and the top half of what appeared to be a mouse swam up to the princess.

"Ariel!" he said. "Ya don't know me, but ya know my pals: Sora, Donald, and Goofy. My name's Mickey Mouse, and I'm here to help!"

"She... she killed my father," Ariel managed to choke out.

"Oh no!" Mickey said, his face falling before hardening into a look of determination. "They'll pay for this!"

The golden Keyblade appeared in his hands, and he and Ariel stood ready to fight. As the time spell released its hold on Ursula, she took a moment to contemplate her next course of action. Ariel was nothing to worry about, but Mickey was dangerous. Ursula had learned all too well the dangers of messing with Keyblade masters. She had the trident, the crown, and the surface world. She could afford to leave Atlantica to its own miserable devices, loathsome though that proposition was to her.

However, once _he_ arrived, Ursula knew that retreat would not be necessary. Charybdis swam into view with a cold and stoic expression. He knew only servitude and killing, and he would tip the balance in her favor. Ariel gasped when she saw him.

"It's _him!_ " Ariel warned. "He's too dangerous to fight! He can rip a ship in half with his bare hands! And with Ursula having daddy's trident...."

Mickey hated to run from a fight, but he also knew that with Ariel injured and battle-worn, he'd have to fight mostly alone. Ursula with the trident was a difficult battle in and of itself, but Charybdis was an unknown element. If Ariel's claims were true, Mickey doubted his ability to defeat Charybdis even without also having to fight Ursula. There was but one solution.

Mickey took Ariel's hand and tapped into the power of the sorcerer's hat. In a flash of light, the two heroes vanished from Atlantica before Charybdis could strike. Ursula scowled angrily at first, but she shrugged after a moment.

"Doesn't matter," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "The important thing is that Ursula's reign has finally BEGUN!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning is for character death.
> 
> Ariel, Eric, Grimsby, Max, and Triton are all from The Little Mermaid.


	19. Fantastic Fates

"So, um, what's with the hat?" Steve Newlin asked nervously as he approached the Overtakers' newest recruit.

Minister Frollo said nothing but merely glowered in the young vampire's general direction with a low, throaty growl. He then continued walking onward. Still, Steve wasn't one to give up so easily. When Hades had told him about their newest recruit and his unique situation, Steve became determined to help Frollo find the light within the darkness. After all, it's what he always needed back during his Fellowship of the Sun days.

"Sorry, sorry," Steve said. "We don't have to talk about the hat. It's just... you seem like you might want someone to talk to. I'm Steve! Steve Newlin. Just your average gay vampire Overtaker."

"I can assure you, I have no desire to speak to a fool like you," Frollo replied without giving Steve a second glance.

"Is it because I'm a gay vampire?" Steve asked. "I used to feel the exact same way before I got turned. I used to be a Pastor then. Er... that's a Protesta- um, never mind, just... it's basically like a Priest."

"You were a clergyman?" Frollo asked, stopping and turning to face Steve.

"Yep, my flock was the Fellowship of the Sun," Steve explained. "I'm sure you can appreciate _that_ irony now. Just... I know what it's like to be a God fearin' man one day and then eventually findin' yourself here of all places."

"God," Frollo spat as his scowl grew even more twisted. "He condemned me to the fiery pits of Hell, and I was nothing but a loyal servant to Him. He forsook me, even after all my years of devout service. In doing so, He forfeited my loyalty, and thus drove me to align with those who would oppose Him."

"If He's even there at all," Steve sighed. "I'm not so sure anymore."

"Either way, a new order will be necessary. Maleficent seems the swiftest course to that end."

"She's kind of scary, but I like her outfit. It's all fancy."

"... Quite."

"Say, Claude, I-"

"It's Minister Frollo to you."

"Fair enough. Minister Frollo, I'm curious. Back when I thought I was doing God's work, I kind of pushed back against certain worldly pleasures. And when I became a vampire, I got to finally experience all of the great things I'd been missin'."

"Mr. Newlin, what _are_ you getting at?"

"Just that, well, now that you're not constrained by a bunch of rules about what you can and can't do, maybe it's time to get in touch with your perverted side. You'd probably be a lot happier if you just got laid. Do you like sex with boys or with girls?"

"Well," Frollo began, pausing to swallow back his uncertainty. "I... remained celibate for my entire life."

Steve's jaw dropped. "You mean you're a virgin?"

"That would be the definition of celibate, yes," Frollo said.

Steve put his arm around Frollo's shoulder. "Minister Frollo, have I got a whole new world to show _you_."

Frollo started to stutter. "But, b-but, I-I don't know if that is truly a wise...."

"Oh nonsense!" Steve said. "Sarah Sanderson would be happy to help!"

"Well... I... I... if you think that's... necessary, then I suppose...," Frollo said, trailing off.

* * *

Out in public, especially at a place as popular as the Central Park Zoo, it was hard for anybody to miss Ben Grimm. Ben, better known as the Thing, was not only world famous as a member of the Fantastic Four, but also because he was a six foot tall muscular orange rock monster. Back when he first gained his powers, the stares of passersby upset him and made him feel uncomfortable. Now he hardly noticed them. There was only one person in the whole zoo who truly mattered to Ben today, and she was sitting on a bench over by the primate exhibit.

"Here ya go Alicia, Tooty-Fruity for my cutie!" Ben said as he handed an ice cream cone to Alicia, his blind yet always perceptive girlfriend.

"Oh Ben, thank you!" Alicia said gratefully as she took the cone. "I'm having such a good time today!"

"Hey, the feelin's mutual, sweetheart," Ben said as he sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. "It's been a nice distraction from everythin' that's been goin' on."

"Oh Ben," Alicia said as she nuzzled up against Ben's arm. "If only there was something to distract _me_ from how... incredibly _hideous_ you are."

"Huh?" Ben asked, and he could feel his heart breaking at those words as he looked back at Alicia.

Alicia was facing him and... smiling at him. The only thing was that it wasn't _Alicia's_ smile. The expression on her face was far more sinister than Ben had ever seen Alicia smile before. It had none of her warmth or kindness, and Alicia would never have said something so hurtful. That left Ben with exactly one conclusion: it wasn't really Alicia.

"Who are ya and what've ya done with Alicia?" Ben asked as he pulled his arm away and stood up. "Start talkin' or it's gonna be-"

"Clobbering time, yes I get the picture," Alicia said with a laugh. "There's the _monster_ I knew was lurking under the surface. Your woman, however, is unharmed and unaware of this drama. But tell me: was Alicia blind before or after she looked upon your visage?"

"WHY YOU!" Ben said as he moved to attack Alicia.

However, Ben immediately felt a wooziness overcome him, and his head began to spin. He passed out in the middle of the zoo. The last thing he could remember was Alicia speaking to him in a distinctly male sounding voice.

"Sleep now Ben Grimm, until fair words summon you to your _fate_."

* * *

A cheery tune started to play as a title card came onto the screen.

"And now," Pain announced, "dead from the Underworld Amphitheatre on the corner of Fire and Brimstone, it's The Hades Show! Starring Hades! ... And now... Heeeeeeeere's Hades!"

The title card faded out onto a gray and blue amphitheater set with a large sofa on one side of the stage and a tall podium built out of skeleton bones on the other. DJ Deadbeat, Hades's go-to soul for musical entertainment played some upbeat and cheerful theme music from his own platform off to the side. The audience (mostly consisting of skeletons and Maleficent's goblins) applauded politely as Hades entered from stage right.

"Hey! Badda-bing badda-boom all you goblins and ghouls out there," Hades said as he walked out. "Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead. How ya doin'?"

The crowd applauded modestly, and Hades's cheerful face fell.

"What is this an audience or a mosaic?" Hades asked with a scowl.

Hades turned and glared at DJ Deadbeat, who fumbled with his microphone.

"Come on fiends, LET'S TURN IT UP FOR HADEEEES!!!" DJ Deadbeat shouted to hype up the crowd.

Knowing the painful reckoning that awaited them if they didn't show Hades their enthusiasm, the crowd broke out in raucous cheering. Hades beamed and basked in the attention.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Hades said as he teleported himself up to the top of his podium. "I mean, hey, givin' Merv Griffin the chop was a long time comin'. He's been stinkin' up Athens worse than King Augeus's cows, geez louise. So we here at the Hades Show invite you to forget all about Merv's clean wholesome All-Athenian fun and join me in a celebration of absolute chaos and true _evil!_ HA!"

The crowd cheered as the pyrotechnics around Hades flared up to punctuate his effect.

"Eat your heart out, Steve Newlin, cuz I smell a new hit series comin' outta Overtaker media," Hades said to himself before projecting his voice back out to address the crowd. "So I was thinkin' long and hard about who to invite as my guest on our very first episode, and the woman I'm about to invite out here is beyond measure. If there was an eighth wonder of the world, she'd be it. Don't let the disguise fool ya, she's the Fairest One of All and knows quality when she sees it. So give it up for one of my closest personal friends: the Evil Queen herself, Grimhilde!"

Grimhilde, still in her old hag form, hobbled out onto the set and waved regally at the adoring public. She made her way over to the couch next to Hades as the applause died down.

As the applause died down, someone in the audience shouted loudly, "SNOW WHITE'S A BITCH!"

Grimhilde laughed and applauded the audience member as laughter erupted.

"Can we air that on prime time?" Hades asked. "Such language, oy vey!"

"Your audience is merely speaking the truth," Grimhilde said. "Certainly horrible little wretches deserve horrible little words."

"Ya gotta point there," Hades said. "I've got a few choice words for Jerkules and Zeusy still lined up myself."

"Don't we all, dearie?" Grimhilde asked with a grin.

"Hey, you're not wrong, y'know, not wrong," Hades replied. "But _they're_ not who we've brought you in to talk about today. No, today, I wanna talk about my _least_ favorite Keyblade master, Mr. Spiky Hair himself, _Sora_."

In a flash of smoke, a statue of Sora appeared next to the two villains, earning boos and jeers from the crowd. Grimhilde sneered at the statue in disgust.

"Now why ever do we need to discuss a fool like that?" Grimhilde asked. "He's long since been lost to the darkness."

"True, but a lotta people still wanna make a hero and martyr of this kid since he won all those tournaments," Hades explained. "So I just wanted to put it ten feet under once and for all that this is NOT the chariot to be puttin' your drachma on."

"Very true," Grimhilde remarked. "He's nothing more than a hideous sight. A dull, homely little boy unworthy of gracing the presence of _true_ beauty. He's a disease-ridden sexual profligate and drug addict."

"Oy, you sure don't mince words, babe," Hades said. "But I'm glad ya brought that second part up! Pain! Panic! Roll the clip, right now!"

Pain and Panic activated a large viewing screen beside Hades and Grimhilde. The screen depicted a scene from the Hades Cup tournament wherein Sora quickly uncorked and chugged a potion to heal himself of all damage.

"GO BACK!" Hades ordered, and the two imps did so, this time playing the clip in slow motion. "There he is! Look at 'im, look! That looks like an illegal substance bein' taken to me. It looks like he's takin' crack-cocaine but doin' it wrong, but, hey, I'm no expert. What d'ya think, your majesty? You're the alchemist here."

Grimhilde knew quite well that the potion in the clip was a garden variety healing potion, but she knew most of her audience wouldn't recognize the difference.

"I think it's clearly a recreational drug," Grimhilde answered, "likely some sort of steroid to give himself an unfair advantage in the tournament."

The crowd gasped at that, and a few even booed Sora's conduct.

"Oy, what are the youth of today comin' too?" Hades asked. "Too many parents out there spared the lightning rod and spoiled the children."

"Yes, I absolutely blame bad parenting as well," Grimhilde said. "After all, when I was raising my stepdaughter, I always made sure she had lots and lots of chores to do. Idle hands were something I refused to encourage."

"More people out there should be like you, babe," Hades said.

"If only they could," Grimhilde said. "Often imitated, never duplicated! That's why _I'm_ the Fairest One of All."

"Well there ya have it folks, you heard it here first!" Hades said as he applauded Grimhilde and encouraged his audience to clap as well. "And you all in the audience aren't goin' home empty-handed today either! Everyone here today is getting custom t-shirts!"

Pain and Panic both walked out on stage, modeling the shirts, each showcasing white lettering on a black background. Pain's read "Un-Fairest of Them All" whilst Panic's said "Say No to Sora!"

"Well, looks like that's all the time we have on our clock!" Hades said as he looked directly into the camera. "Remember, if I'm not lyin', I'm dyin', and make sure ya tune in next time on _the Hades Show!_ "

* * *

Ursula sat upon her new throne and took a moment to bask in the glory of her victory. Triton was dead, the entire ocean and Eric's kingdom belonged to her, and Ariel was in the wind unable to do anything about it. All in all, it had been quite a successful conquest. The Evil Manta glided into the throne room looking altogether too pleased with himself.

"I have successfully spread fear and division throughout the entire ocean," the Manta reported. "The Atlanticans will be _easily_ kept under your thrall, your majesty."

"Nice work, Manta!" Ursula said. "I knew inviting you back was a good idea!"

The Manta bowed dramatically, fanning out his wings like a cape. "You do me a _great_ honor. Since ancient mertimes, all I've ever wanted was to see the ocean plunged into utter evil and tyranny. Seeing you finally succeed in getting your way and not letting others have their way... well it brings a smile to my face!"

Ursula grinned. "I'm glad to hear you appreciate my vision for this kingdom. In fact, that's exactly why I've brought you here."

"Oh? Do tell!" the Manta replied.

"You see I have... a more _important_ job than ruling Atlantica," Ursula explained. "My work with the Overtakers will require me to be away from my world for long periods of time. And you know the old expression: when the catfish is away, the minnows will play."

The Manta cringed. "Ew, can you imagine something as disgustingly good as _playing?_ "

"Exactly," Ursula replied as she hopped up from her throne and put an arm around the Manta's shoulders. "That's why I need someone who I can trust to rule as regent in my absence, and no one is better suited for that job than you, big boy!"

The Evil Manta grinned and his eyes began to glow a bright golden shade. "I humbly accept the position, my liege."

"Good man," Ursula said as she patted the Manta on the back. "Of course, I'll be taking the trident and the crown with me, but with your dark powers and the Heartless I'm leaving you, that shouldn't be a problem."

"Not at all," the Manta assured her. "I will rise to the occasion."

"Perfect! Well then, with that settled, I'd best be on my way," Ursula said as she teleported away from the throne room amidst a cloud of octopus ink, leaving the Manta to bask in his new position of power.

Ursula reappeared on the balcony of Eric's castle where Fish Mooney, Cruella De Vil (sporting a new sheepdog fur coat), and Maleficent were waiting. Fish grinned and applauded when she saw Ursula appear.

"You did it!" Fish said as she rushed over to hug her girlfriend and to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Good show, darling!" Cruella said as she nuzzled her new coat.

Ursula held the trident aloft and cackled wickedly. "Now I am the ruler of all the oceans! ... Again. And _this_ time, it better stay that way!"

"It shall indeed," Maleficent nodded. "I shall make certain of that, my dear."

"Now I'm thinking the first thing this world needs is a better aesthetic!" Ursula declared as she slithered towards the edge of the balcony.

Ursula raised the trident high above her head and fired a bolt of lightning into the sky. The sunny sky above immediately grew cloudy and stormy, taking on a deep, purple hue that made the ocean in turn look almost black. Ursula then turned her attention towards Eric's palace and waved her trident about. Barnacles, purple coral, and bioluminescent cyan algae began to grow and coat the side of the castle, turning the once pristine white palace into something that looked as though it had been submerged below the waves for hundreds of years.

"Home sweet home!" Ursula declared with a sigh.

"Fitting indeed," Maleficent remarked as she smiled.

"And now for a queen of land _and_ sea," Ursula said as the trident began to glow.

The light engulfed Ursula and when it cleared, she had taken on her Vanessa appearance with a new dress that matched the colors of the remodeled palace and gold filigree woven into the skirt to match the golden crown atop her head.

" _Love_ the outfit!" Cruella said. "It's very YOU! _Very_ fashion. I'm so glad we didn't take casual Fridays literally like so many of those dirty peasants out there. They just roll out of bed and think it's alright to exist in public."

"Where have you been hiding this look?" Fish asked with a grin. "If I'd have seen this in our closet, I'd have taken it for myself already!"

"A girl's gotta have her secrets, HA!" Vanessa replied with a villainous smirk.

"And so another world has fallen to the might of the Overtakers!" Maleficent declared with a cackle.

Fish, Cruella, and Vanessa joined in the laughter as well as they celebrated their wicked victory.

* * *

"Come back Ben Grimm, come baaaaaaaack! You are summoned by fair words to dark deeds," a sing-song voice called out from beyond the darkness.

Ben's vision started to come back into focus. He could feel that his arms and feet were bound by shackles up against the wall. He tugged at them with all his strength, but in his weakened state, they would not budge. Knowing the resourcefulness of his captors thus far, however, it was likely that they wouldn't budge even with his full strength restored. Ben's vision finally clarified enough to spot the source of the sing-song voice: the smirking face of Loki.

"Loki?" Ben asked, his voice feeling as though it was thick with cobwebs.

"The same," Loki replied. "Though I am but a bit player in this drama. If you wish to see the leading man, look to my left."

Doctor Doom stepped out of the shadows, his cape billowing behind him and the shine of his metal armor reflecting in the low light. Ben gritted his teeth and attempted to break free but to no avail.

"DOOM!" Ben barked.

"Quite obviously so," Doom taunted. "And, once again, you display your inferior intellect by expending your energies attempting to break free. You should know quite well that Doom accounts for every eventuality."

"Yeah right, metal head," Ben replied. "Just like ya planned to get clobbered by Odin, heh?"

Doom bristled at that but did not allow it to affect his demeanor. "Your crudeness does you no credit. As much as I long to destroy you with the very hands you once crushed, you'll serve me far better as bait to lure Richards out of whatever hole he crawled into. After all, _'Mr. Fantastic'_ would never leave his sniveling monster pet in my clutches."

Ben grunted angrily at that. "Quit playin' mind games, Doomsy. I know Reed and Susie ain't comin' back. Johnny may not have made peace with that, but I did! Now what do you _actually_ want?"

" _What?_ " Doom hissed. "What happened to Richards?"

Ben scoffed. "Heh, like you don't know! This some sick game o' yours? Makin' me relive it? Well I ain't givin' you what you want, Vic."

Doom whirled around like a striking snake and grabbed Ben by the throat. "Be silent you insufferable blot on the escutcheon of humanity! Now answer my question: _WHAT HAPPENED TO RICHARDS?_ "

Ben looked Doom in the eyes, and his expression softened. "You really don't know, do ya?"

Doom said nothing to that, but he saw the look in Ben's eyes, the sorrow and the regret. In that moment, Doom knew that Reed was no more.

"There was this asteroid gunnin' right for Earth," Ben said. "We sent out a distress call to the Shi'ar for help, but they ignored us 'cuz of Lilandra's death that we couldn't stop. We all tried to stop the asteroid, but we failed and it was comin' real close to destroyin' the West Coast. Reed, Susie, Franklin, and Valeria had some last minute plan with Frankie's powers. Well they stopped the asteroid, somehow, but when the smoke cleared, they weren't nowhere to be found. Everybody, Stark, Strange, Xavier, we all spent weeks tryin' to find them, hopin' they'd just gotten lost in another dimension or somethin'. But the longer it went on, we just couldn't ignore the truth any more: they sacrificed themselves to save all of us."

Loki cackled at the story as Doom released his hold on Ben's neck.

"What foolish heroism," Loki sneered. "It seems Richards received his final dues after all."

Doom, however, said nothing. He stood there in silent contemplation, and Loki right away could tell that this was not the joyous occasion he had expected it to be. Doom pressed a button on a control panel off to the side, and the shackles binding Ben to the wall were released.

"Victor, what are you doing?" Loki asked.

"Go," Doom ordered Ben. "Leave my sight at once. "

"Fat chance, Doomsy," Ben said as he rubbed his wrists. "Ya kidnapped me and held me hostage, so I'm gonna clobber your metal keister."

"Insufferable fool," Doom spat. "Richards would have wanted you to live, thus I shall honor his memory and grant you your life. Do not force me to take it."

Ben squinted suspiciously at Doom. "You're actually serious."

"GO!" Doom ordered.

Ben walked past Doom and Loki towards the door, but he paused before exiting.

"I guess Reed was right about there still bein' some good in ya after all," Ben said as he left the room.

Doom and Loki remained behind in silence for a moment.

"I thought this was to be your act of vengeance against the Fantastic Four," Loki said. "Why let the monster go?"

"There is no vengeance to be had here without Richards," Doom huffed.

"Not even for the Thing? He who once crushed your very own hands?" Loki asked as he took Doom's hands into his own.

Doom, however, pulled away and snapped angrily. "I have given you my answer! There shall be no further interference in the affairs of the Fantastic Four!"

As Doom turned around and angrily left the room, Loki did not follow. He could see the truth plainly: Doom was grieving and needed time alone to process. Though Doom had long desired Reed Richards's death, he'd always wanted it to happen on his own terms. Doom would never admit it, but his hatred for Richards was closely tied into a love for his adversary. Those complex feelings would be difficult to untangle, and Loki knew it all too well.

After all, Loki knew that he'd feel the same at the loss of Thor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters are from Marvel comics.
> 
> The Hades Show gag... if you get any of the references, then you've been following my work for longer than is sensible and I'm so sorry XD It's based off old cringe YT videos I made back in ye olden days where Hades had a talk show and Grimhilde had a movie review show and they used their platforms to spread Anti-Sora propaganda XD I thought it'd be funny to pay homage to it here.


	20. The Empress Witch

Russell and Steve's lips were locked in a passionate embrace. They were hungry for affection from each other, and in the low warm light of the fire, there was a romantic and cozy atmosphere around them. After everything they'd gone through, the two were still crazy about each other and thankful that they'd managed to save their relationship from the brink of despair. As they broke free of the kiss, Russell gently caressed Steve's face.

"You're so beautiful," Russell said with a smile.

"And you're so handsome," Steve said as he took Russell's hand and kissed it.

"Well now you're just flatterin' me," Russell quipped with a wink. "But I'll accept the compliment."

"Shall we put another log on the fire?" Steve asked.

"We shall," Russell said with a grin.

Russell picked up another barrel of gunpowder and threw it on the burning building, which exploded with a loud bang. The citizens ran away in panic, and some were caught in the crossfire of the explosion. Russell let out a contented sigh.

"It's so romantic, isn't it?" Russell asked.

Steve nodded in agreement and laid his head to rest on Russell's shoulders to watch the carnage of Thebes being destroyed all around them. The bodies that had provided the two vampires' dinners were littered around them. This particular Greek meal was a little more heavy on the olives than the last time Russell had taken Steve out for Greek at the Gamma Kappa Tau House, but it was still quite tasty indeed.

Scar, meanwhile, bounded through the streets of Thebes, leaving patches of flames every time his feet touched the ground. The fires spread behind him, burning any villages or civilians unfortunate enough to be caught in the fires. Scar slid into The Hercules Store and released a large wave of flames to incinerate the store's myriad of Hercules themed merchandise.

"This time you'll burn!" Scar declared with a villainous cackle.

However, Scar's eyes immediately were caught by one of the few items that hadn't been consumed by flames: a mannequin of Hercules wearing a very familiar looking lion skin pelt. Though the pelt was that of the Nemean Lion, it bore an uncanny resemblance to Scar's pelt in his own lion form. Scar sneered, ripped the pelt off the mannequin, and wrapped the skin around his own shoulders.

"It suits _me_ better anyways," Scar declared as he strolled out of the burning store and stroked the fur of his new pelt.

Next door, in Aphrodite's Secret, Amora was currently rifling through the lingerie, trying to decide what, if any, would be most suitable for her own purposes.

"What do you make of this one?" Amora asked as she held up a green and gold combo.

Warp Darkmatter scratched his chin in contemplation, but shook his head. "Naw, too much left to the imagination."

Amora cocked an eyebrow and looked back at the skimpy lingerie. "If I went with anything that left _less_ to the imagination, _nothing_ would be left to the imagination."

"Exactly," Warp said with a wink.

"You are worse than Skurge," Amora said with a chuckle before turning back to the lingerie. "Oh... I suppose I shall take them all. I can always dispose of them later should they prove unsatisfactory."

Amora waved a hand and a wash of green energy swept the entire contents of the store's lingerie section away.

"I believe that satisfies the shopping I desired to complete," Amora said.

"There's still the matter of payment," Warp reminded his date.

"It's on the house," a meek voice from behind the counter managed to squeal out.

"Wasn't talking about _us_ paying _you_ ," Warp said as his robotic hand morphed into a blaster cannon.

With a plasma blast from his arm cannon, Warp blew the lock off of the store's wall-mounted safe. He smirked as he opened the safe and dumped the stacks of drachma into his suit's storage compartment.

"Whoever said that crime doesn't pay is both a prude and a liar," Warp declared.

Zurg stood at the overlook in Thebes, taking in the sight of the carnage and laughing wickedly at every single atrocity he could spot (and given his telescopic vision, he could spot quite a lot). Frollo stood next to him and sneered at the burning city below.

"Is there any purpose in this seemingly mindless destruction?" Frollo asked.

Zurg shrugged. "What good's an evil empire if you don't stop to have a bit of fun once in a while?"

" _Fun?_ " Frollo asked with a scoff. "What a frivolous notion. Surely we've better things to do."

"Well aren't you just a basket of joy-bunzels?" Zurg replied sarcastically. "If you're not _loving_ every despicable minute of this, you're in the wrong field, buddy boy. It's deplorarrific!"

"That is not a word," Frollo sneered.

"It is so!" Zurg insisted. "It's an adverbial.... participle.... preposition."

Frollo massaged the bridge of his nose. "Were it a real word, it would be an _adjective_. There is no such part of speech as an adverbial participle preposition."

Zurg crossed his arms and pouted. "Yeah, well, I'm an Evil Emperor, I'm allowed to make up my own words and parts of speeches! So there! Nyeh!"

"What the devil have I gotten myself involved in?" Frollo asked with an exasperated sigh.

Tucked away behind several toppled columns, a lone figure observed the Overtakers' actions. They'd heard tale of the horrors of the Overtakers' rule, but seeing it in person was an entirely different experience. One thing was certain: they'd never seen evil like this before.

* * *

Maleficent ran her fingers across the cool metal of the Black Cauldron and grinned wickedly.

"It is mine once again!" Maleficent declared.

"Gotta say, babe, love the way you look towerin' over it way more than I did seein' Horny with it," Hades remarked.

Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Doom immediately clasped his hand over his boyfriend's mouth.

"Yes, I heard what he said too," Doom whispered. "No, I shall not allow you to spoil this moment with an innuendo."

Loki pried Doom's hand off his mouth. "You truly ruin all my fun."

"All the forces of evil are mine to command!" Maleficent said as she admired her cauldron. "My army of the dead shall return again! No longer must we settle for the unpredictable Heartless or the incompetent goblins. We shall have an invincible army again! Then nothing shall stand in our way!"

Maleficent spread out her arms and began to radiate green fire as she summoned up the cauldron's power. However, instead of the usual reaction, the cauldron sputtered and sent out a shockwave to knock back the four villains around it. The cauldron then fizzled a bit before becoming silent once more.

"Oy, nothin' standin' in our way is lookin' a bit unlikely at this stage," Hades said as he straightened himself up and dusted his chiton off.

"Indeed," Loki agreed. "I do not recall the cauldron ever acting in such a manner."

"The Horned King must have corrupted the cauldron's powers," Doom suggested. "After all, we did not see Cauldron Born flocking to Cronus's aid during the battle of Olympus."

"Could've been magical corrosion in the Acheron too," Hades offered.

"More than likely that fool the Horned King used his tentacles of the Master to absorb the evil power of the cauldron," Maleficent explained.

"So we need a way to fill this bad boy up with ultimate evil power," Hades said. "I think I might know a way."

"Pardon me, but isn't the cauldron a secondary concern?" Loki asked. "I had thought our true goal was to take control of Kingdom Hearts, and this oversized chamber pot is certainly not necessary for _that_ endeavor."

"Quite so," Doom agreed. "We have delayed our headway on our principle goals long enough. What shall be our next move?"

"Hook can open the portal to Kingdom Hearts, but we still need the power of the Princesses of Heart to unlock the door," Maleficent explained. "Jafar and Hook killed one of the seven, Princess Jasmine, but there are ways around such a setback."

"It figures those two would hinder our plans with their rashness," Loki sneered.

"Do not be so certain," Maleficent warned. "After all, the death of a dangerous, fully realized maiden of light is far preferable to leaving her alive for future use. We are better served focusing our attention towards other ways of acquiring the princesses' power."

"Playin' devil's advocate here... well, I mean, hey, I'm always a devil's advocate but what'cha gonna do?" Hades interjected. "But the Black Cauldron wasn't always just for raisin' an army. It's got ancient darkness booga-booga right down to the marrow. With the right sacrifice, we might be able to brew up _exactly_ what we need to deal with our princess problem."

"Speculation and nothing more," Doom said.

"Hey, I _know_ ancient powers, babe!" Hades replied. "Where there's a will, there's a way! Fixin' up the cauldron's gonna help us somehow. I'm _sure_ of it!"

"The Black Cauldron is also _ours_ and should be restored regardless if for no other reason than it belongs to us and it is our right," Maleficent spoke up. "If you believe the cauldron to be useful, Hades, then I shall leave the task of restoring it to you. You said you knew of a way to restore its evil power?"

"Got'cha covered," Hades said. "I just need to pay a lil' visit to an old _flame_ , HA!"

"Surely the power of princesses is not all that we need to achieve our goals," Loki interjected. "There must be more that we can begin putting in place."

"Failing to harness the power of Kingdom Hearts was how Ansem was destroyed in the first place," Maleficent explained. "We need to ensure that we do not meet the same fate. I can think of no two individuals in the universe more adept at controlling power than you two."

"Your flattery has no effect on Doom," Doom boasted, though everyone in the room knew that was a blatant lie. "That being said, I shall find a method to control the power of Kingdom Hearts. It is all too simple for one as brilliant as myself."

"And I shall look over his shoulder so that his ego doesn't lead to all of our deaths," Loki whispered to Maleficent.

"You provide a vital service to us all," Maleficent whispered back.

She and Loki shared a chuckle at that.

* * *

Hook rested his head on Jafar's chest and stroked his boyfriend's twisted beard thoughtfully. Jafar laid back and allowed Hook to do as he pleased. He was much too comfortable in this bed to move much anyway. Jafar wrapped his arm around Hook's shoulders and pulled the younger man closer to him, feeling the weight of his lover's body against his own.

"That was bloody excellent," Hook whispered as he leaned up and planted a kiss on Jafar's lips.

"Indeed it was," Jafar agreed.

"You've never kissed me that much whilst you were having your way with me before," Hook pointed out.

"Your breath was surprisingly tolerable today," Jafar quipped.

"Ah, that's the reason is it?" Hook asked, knowing quite well that Jafar was deflecting away from admitting any degree of emotional sincerity. "I suppose I should rinse my mouth with copious quantities of rum more often, which I assure you will be pleasurable for me in more ways than one."

"I would expect nothing less," Jafar said as he leaned down to kiss Hook once again.

The two held the kiss longer than usual, neither one eager to allow his need for oxygen to supersede his need for the other man. Finally, however, the two pulled apart to catch their breath.

"You are _mine_ ," Jafar whispered.

"And I have _you_ wrapped around my hook," Hook replied with a wink.

Loathed though either of them were to leave the comfort of their bed, the two men eventually pulled themselves apart and dressed back in their usual ensembles. As Hook began to slide his rings back onto his fingers, he paused.

"I've never told you about my rings, have I?" Hook asked.

Jafar raised an eyebrow. "I had assumed them to merely be pirate jewelry."

"Aye, pirate jewelry they are, but each one has a story behind it," Hook explained as he held up his right ring finger. "You see this? Belonged to a man named Barnaby, called me One-Hand Jones. I slit his throat in front of his wife and took his ring."

Jafar grinned. "A story behind it _indeed_."

Hook then held up his pointer finger. "This one? Edgar. Fine sailor. I caught him drinking from my private stores of wine, so I drowned him. Tied a cannon ball to his bootstraps and threw him overboard."

"And what of the the thumb?" Jafar asked as he ran his fingers over the thumb ring.

"Ah yes, Cutler, he was one of Liam's crew members on the voyage when my brother died," Hook explained, "perhaps Liam's closest friend. It didn't sit well with him that I convinced the crew to turn pirate after Liam's death. He wanted to return to the service of the king and accused me of exploiting my brother's death to justify my greed."

"What a pretentious fool," Jafar sneered.

"Aye, but I suppose he _was_ right," Hook conceded. "I'd wanted to turn pirate long before Liam died. His death just finally gave me an excuse to do it. All the same, I couldn't have him speaking to me like that in front of the crew."

"What'd you do to him?" Jafar asked.

"I boiled him in oil and sent what was left of him back to the king," Hook answered.

Jafar cackled wickedly at that. "I love the way your foul little mind works!"

Hook beamed at him. "And you... well... I always used to wear these rings as trophies, and then Emma made me come to see them as sins to be ashamed of. But you? You taught me to celebrate my trophies once again and to embrace who I am and who I was."

"You make it sound so sentimental," Jafar said with a roll of his eyes. "But I must admit, it is quite invigorating seeing you thrive as the blackguard you were always meant to be rather than pining over some self-righteous _woman_."

"And that's precisely why I've brought her up," Hook said. "With you and Ursula exacting your revenge upon those who wronged you both, I've two scores yet to be settled." Hook then paused and held up his right hand. "And two fingers for two more _rings_."

"Rumplestiltskin and Emma Swan," Jafar said thoughtfully as he stroked his beard. "Unfortunately they'll be a touch more complicated to eliminate than Aladdin and his foolish friends. A savior of light magic and a wizard who was once the all powerful Dark One. Perhaps they'd best be left to one of our more powerful allies."

" _No!_ I deserve _my_ vengeance!" Hook protested. "Rumplestiltskin will die at my hands, as will Emma!"

"Remember what happened the last time you went off against Rumplestiltskin?" Jafar asked. "Or perhaps you'd care to think back to the fate Pan inflicted upon you. I was able to save you once, but with Eris no longer in our debt, you cannot afford to be so careless again."

"Well what would you have me do? Sit on the sidelines or give up?" Hook asked. "That isn't in my blood, and you of all people should know the importance of vengeance."

Jafar thought about it a moment. "Hmm, perhaps the answer is for _you_ to become more powerful. After all, it's high time you were able to hold your own amongst the other Overtakers."

"I can already call upon the darkness, though it's unreliable at best," Hook admitted.

"Wait! Wait!" Jafar said before chuckling. "Sometimes my brilliance astounds even me! I already said the solution but a few moments ago. I spoke of the _blackguard_ you were always meant to be!"

"Aye, you did, and what of it?" Hook asked.

"A Blackguard is more than merely another word for scoundrel," Jafar explained. "It is a discipline of warrior in and of itself. There are many who take the title and imitate the abilities, but a true Blackguard, capitalized, is a powerful warrior ordained by the forces of evil. The abilities you would gain if you became one... well, you'd be able to hold your own against Rumplestiltskin and Miss Swan quite handily."

"So far I'm on board, but what do I have to do to _get_ this power?" Hook asked. "I hardly expect it to be freely given."

Jafar grinned at that. "On the contrary. The Overtakers have acquired considerable influence. It is high time we _leverage_ that influence."

* * *

When Jafar and Hook explained their desire to make Hook into a Blackguard to Maleficent, she agreed fairly quickly. The benefits of a true Blackguard on the Overtakers were numerous, and she also agreed that Hook should be granted power indicative of his rank in the new cosmos. The trouble was that no one on the Overtakers could create a _true_ Blackguard. That particular rite could only be performed by a select few who were disciples of the forces of evil. Maleficent's banishment from Avalon and separation from the Unseelie Court prevented her from performing the rite.

However, there was more than one way to obtain dark powers, and one Overtaker just so happened to know exactly where to go to get the power they sought. A Corridor of Darkness deposited Maleficent, Hook, and Jafar amidst a rocky and mountainous area at night in the world of the Dwarf Woodlands. Grimhilde, restored once again to her queenly beauty, stepped out of the Corridor of Darkness after them.

"This is the place," Grimhilde explained.

"When you said we were to visit the throne of the Empress Witch, I had imagined something far more grandiose than a rock formation," Hook admitted.

Grimhilde sneered. "The previous Empress Witch ruled from a _grandiose_ castle in the shadow of Bald Mountain itself. However, proselytizers destroyed the witches' way of life and drove us from our ancestral grounds to dwell in _this_ wretched world. The Empress Witch was slain making a final stand against the warriors of light."

"Your mother, was she not?" Jafar asked.

"She was," Grimhilde nodded. "Empress Witch Borghilde I, High Priestess of Chernabog, Ruler of All Evil, and Mother of All Witches."

"All witches are _sisters?_ " Hook asked.

Maleficent, Grimhilde, and Jafar all collectively sighed and rolled their eyes at once, indicating to Hook that his question was a foolish one.

" _No_ , not all witches are sisters," Grimhilde answered. "The Empress Witch is considered to be the Mother of All Witches because it is by her hand that all witches under her dominion receive their dark magic. I, however, was the only daughter born of Borghilde's womb."

"Which begs the question as to why _you_ are not the current Empress Witch," Jafar said slyly. "Shouldn't you have inherited your mother's legacy?"

"I was but a child when my mother was slain," Grimhilde said sharply. "I had not yet come into my own powers, and thus it would not have been proper for me to assume the duties. Mammona was the elder and the most powerful of us, and so the title fell onto her shoulders."

"But you are not a child now," Jafar said with a devious grin. "Why hasn't Mammona abdicated the throne to you?"

"Enough!" Maleficent interrupted before Grimhilde could reply. "Jafar, you will cease antagonizing Grimhilde at once. I would remind you that we are here to seek a favor from the Empress Witch, not to dispute titles."

"Apologies, your excellency and your majesty," Jafar said as he gave a curt bow to both Maleficent and Grimhilde. "Shall we proceed to the throne?"

Grimhilde huffed and twirled her cape as she took the lead pressing forward. Maleficent shot Jafar a scolding glance and followed after the queen. Jafar and Hook took up the rear.

"Is there a reason you delight in vexing the queen?" Hook asked.

"It amuses me," Jafar said with a shrug.

The four Overtakers approached a large throne in the shape of a skull carved into the side of a rock formation. Large torches were lit on either side of the throne, and sitting on the throne was a fat wart-covered woman with straw-like yellow hair, frumpy gowns of black and orange, and a crooked witch's hat atop her head. Though all present knew that this woman was the Empress Witch, she certainly did not exude the regality of the position that Grimhilde had in spades. A twisted looking red imp with bat wings stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"You stand before Empress Witch Mammona I," the imp announced. "High Priestess of Chernabog, Ruler of All Evil, and Mother of All Witches. Presenting to her wretchedness is Queen Grimhilde of the Dwarf Woodlands, Daughter of Borghilde I, and Duchess Witch of Bald Mountain. Her Most Honored and Exalted Excellency Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil, Daughter of Nicnevan of the Unseelie Court, Ruler of the Goblin Clans of the Forbidden Mountains, Queen of Olympus, and Leader of the Overtakers. Jafar, Sultan of Agrabah and Genie of the Lamp. And Captain Killian Jones."

The imp began panting to catch his breath after announcing such a mouthful of titles. Mammona didn't seem to pay him much mind. Her twisted glance locked onto Grimhilde. Grimhilde knelt before Mammona and fanned out her arms.

"Mother Mammona, I humble myself in thy presence," Grimhilde said as she bowed her head.

"Grimhilde," Mammona said as she chewed on her tongue. "Last I saw you, I'd turned you into a horsehair broom as punishment for your failure in accordance with Infernal Law. You should still be serving the other witches!"

"A queen does not serve for long," Grimhilde answered. "I was able to restore my powers and regain my humanity."

"And what of Raven the Witch-Woman of the Rocks? Or Scabra the Witch of the Moody Muddy Bogs" Mammona asked. "I left you in their care."

A sly smirk crept onto Grimhilde's face. "You said only a truly wicked deed could restore my powers. Their deaths satisfied _that_."

Mammona grinned and let out a devilish cackle. "I should have known better than to underestimate you, girl! Borghilde's daughter indeed! And I have heard much of your exploits with the Overtakers as well! It seems your defeat at Snow White's hands was but a fluke."

"Thank you, your wretchedness," Grimhilde said as she rose to her feet. "And it is on behalf of the Overtakers that I have brokered this meeting with you."

Maleficent stepped forward and bowed. "Your infernal wretchedness, radiant as always."

"Your excellency," Mammona nodded. "You've been making quite an impression on the worlds. Lord Chernabog sends his compliments. What brings you to my throne?"

"I seek to extend the power of my forces," Maleficent explained. "I wish to grant one of my most loyal allies the power of a true Blackguard."

Maleficent beckoned for Hook to step forward, and he did so, bowing before Mammona as his allies had done before. Mammona looked over the pirate and sneered.

"You bring a revenant to my throne and ask that I imbue him with unspeakable dark powers?" Mammona asked. "And why should I honor such a steep request?"

"Because dear Hook here gave his life to your master," Maleficent said. "His heart was chosen to be consumed by Chernabog for its darkest potential. He sustained your master when your master's power had been stymied by the warriors of light. And I will also bring to your attention the power and influence of my Overtakers. You and your witches benefit greatly from our victories, and I would certainly hate for my opinion of you and your throne to sour. An act of thanks on your behalf would go a considerable length towards preserving our cordial relationship."

Mammona sneered and glanced at Hook and then back to Grimhilde. However, her expression quickly softened.

"Agreed," Mammona said. "The pirate shall become a Blackguard."

Mammona made a throaty gagging noise that made Hook sneer with disgust as she hacked up a purple and black talisman. The Empress Witch wiped her mucus off of the talisman, revealing it to have a skull engraved on its face.

"This is a Blackguard rune," Mammona said as she handed the still quite moist talisman to Hook. "Once unlocked, it will grant you the full powers of a true Blackguard."

"Many thanks," Hook said as he held the damp talisman away from his body. "I don't suppose you'd be able to share _how_ to unlock it."

"It must be charged with the darkness of wicked deeds," Mammona instructed. "Those you must do for yourself."

Grimhilde bowed before Mammona once more. "Many thanks, your wretchedness. Give my regards to Lord Chernabog."

Mammona waved the Overtakers away. "You are dismissed. Go, now, before I change my mind and turn you all into horsehair brooms!"

The Overtakers turned away and began to strut away from the Empress Witch's throne.

"I must say, Grimhilde," Jafar said once they were out of Mammona's earshot. "Watching one as powerful and graceful as you bow to a crumpled old maid like that is truly disheartening."

"Be silent or I shall cut out your tongue," Grimhilde said through gritted teeth.

"I do not say this to taunt you," Jafar clarified. "On the contrary, I fully believe that you should reign as the Empress Witch, not Mammona. And I would happily lend my services to that goal."

Grimhilde raised an eyebrow. "That... is surprisingly decent of you."

"I may delight in scheming and cruelty, but I quite surprisingly do _not_ detest you or the other Overtakers," Jafar said. "I count you as one of my dearest friends, and I am a generous friend to have... when I have reason to be."

"I too would support your reign as Empress Witch," Maleficent added. "However, we should allow Hook the opportunity to unlock his talisman before making any moves against the old hag."

Hook was still holding the moist talisman out in front of him. "Can one of you conjure a handkerchief? I've only the one good hand and I fear I'll have to chop it off in disgust if I hold this relic any longer."

Maleficent handed Hook a black handkerchief from the folds of her robe, and he began to wipe the talisman dry.

"Now all that remains is to find a considerably dark deed to unlock it," Hook said. "Any thoughts?"

Jafar grinned wickedly and chuckled.

"I have a few ideas."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mammona, the Empress Witch, is from the Italian comic The Return of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the comic, it's revealed that she's the leader of the witches, and Grimhilde serves her. I actually only recently was able to get my hands on the English translation (great book, btw, totally recommend it), and Mammona's existence lined up pretty perfectly with my Grimhilde backstory that I made up back in the previous installment. So I had to bring her into play here to follow up on that.
> 
> The whole concept of a Blackguard is loosely based on the Dungeons and Dragons classification, but I'm making it more powerful and cosmic to go along with with my lore.


	21. The Firebird

The forest was lush and blooming with color and life to signify the springtime. The pines stretched so tall they looked as though they could touch the sky, and the mountain beyond the forest stretched even higher. This was a world of nature, fresh and new, untainted by the industries or carelessness of man. The entire world disgusted Hades, and not only because it reminded him of his defeat all those months ago.

"Look alive, folks," Hades said as he turned to face the Overtakers accompanying him. "Or, hey, as alive as a group of a demon, a vampire, and two guys who've died at least once can look, HA!"

Scar rolled his eyes at Hades's attempt at humor, but Russell found it rather amusing himself. Blackheart and Ardyn Izunia chuckled a bit as well.

"Now listen up, I'm only gonna say this once!" Hades said. "This world used to be a really powerful ultimate evil booga-booga planet called Mr. Shadow. Could destroy entire worlds. It was _that_ powerful. But then my witch with a capital beta of an ex-wife sacrificed herself to spoil the fun, and she made this world we're on right now outta him. But see, though, ya can't _fully_ wash out the stain of darkness if y'know what I mean. There's ultimate evil _somewhere_ in this forest, and we're gonna find it, soak it up, and stick it in the Black Cauldron to give the ol' pot a jump start. Capiche?"

"Oh yes," Ardyn nodded. "It sounds like a great deal of fun!"

"Russell, babe, where d'ya think we should start?" Hades asked as he turned to his vampire friend.

"The air down here is fresh and clean, like Earth's used to be back when I was first turned," Russell noted. "If there's ultimate evil around, it won't be in this forest at least. Though I'm catchin' a faint whiff of volcanic gases comin' from upwind, towards the mountain. I'd start there if I were you."

"The last time I went to a world with a mountain to grab ultimate evil, Maleficent wouldn't let me punch Chernabog in the nose," Blackheart said. "I'm gonna need your word that I can punch Mr. Shadow in the nose when we find him."

Hades shrugged. "Eh, what do I care? Fine, fine, fine, punch 'im wherever ya want. I just need his _power_ in tact."

"Then I'm in," Blackheart said with a twisted grin.

"I am a _king_ , not some miner," Scar insisted. "I should be conquering an empire, not searching a mountain for a dead power source."

"Now, now, my progeny, there are many paths to power," Ardyn assured him. "An empire requires many things for a king to build. This little excursion benefits the Overtakers and thus your clearest route to power."

Scar sneered but relented. "Very well, you do have a point, loathed though I am to sully my own hands with the dirty work."

Russell rolled his eyes. "Oh for fuck's sake."

"Ardyn, baby, you picked the prissiest one to make your heir," Blackheart remarked.

"Give him time," Ardyn said as he patted Blackheart on the back. "He'll impress you."

"Yeah, yeah, enough jabber-jawin'," Hades said. "Let's head on up the mountain."

Hades summoned up his chariot and loaded Blackheart and Scar in with him. Russell flew after the chariot, and Ardyn transformed himself into a streak of black smoke to follow after the others. The chariot soared up to the mouth of the volcano and descended into the volcanic crater. There was no lava to be found inside the volcano, but a large chunk of volcanic rock with a vaguely avian shape was situated in the center of the crater. The rock was immense, and as the five Overtakers approached it, they could see it was nearly five times their height.

"Somebody tell me I'm not the only one who can _feel_ the evil comin' off of that thing," Russell said as they all gathered in front of the rock.

"That definitely feels like ultimate evil," Blackheart agreed. "Dormant. But present."

"Yep, this is it, boys," Hades said as he took a round statuette out of his pocket. "Good thing I saved ol' Mr. Shadow's free will from back when I revived him. Gotta love a good callback."

Hades grinned and reached forward to begin siphoning off the stone's dark powers. However, the moment Hades's hand made contact with the volcanic rock, the rocky shell burst open and two bright red eyes opened. Hades was thrown backwards, and the statuette tumbled out of his hands as smoke and fire began to pour from what was once the volcanic rock.

Hades gasped. "GET THE ORB! NOW!"

Russell made a dash for the statue, but a flaming talon struck out and grabbed up the statue before Russell could get to it. The statue vanished as it was absorbed into the flames. Scar yelped and vanished into a Corridor of Darkness immediately.

"COWARD!" Blackheart shouted at Scar as he vanished.

"Fuck! What do we do now?" Russell shouted.

"Get up to the rim of the crater, QUICK!" Hades ordered.

The Overtakers didn't have to be told twice. The four swiftly made their way back to the top, just in time to avoid the entire crater becoming an arena of exploding rocks and erupting lava. The lava, fire, and rock shards seemed to be taking on a more solid form as it rose up from the crater.

"And how are we to deal with this then?" Ardyn asked.

"We still need that power," Hades said. "Guess we're just gonna have to beat 'im into submission."

The creature that erupted from the volcano spread its wings, revealing itself at last. Mr. Shadow rose from the depths of the planet in a new form as a terrible and enormous _Firebird_.

Blackheart cackled and rubbed his hands together. "Time for a production of Bye Bye Birdie."

The Firebird lunged forward and sent a blast of flame hurtling towards the four. Russell, Blackheart, and Ardyn quickly scurried out of the way, but Hades held his ground. After all, no mere fire could harm the Lord of the Dead... or so Hades _thought_. The Firebird's blast struck him in the chest and stung Hades painfully. Though his body absorbed the flames, there was something else unique about the fires that allowed them to inflict harm upon the Lord of the Dead.

Hades quickly warped out of the way and rematerialized off to the side. "That's _not_ ordinary fire! Watch it, boys! Don't let 'im hit you!"

"Wasn't plannin' on it," Russell said as he charged himself up with fairy light and sprouted immense claws from his fingertips. "This'll be fun!"

The Firebird soared across the land, bringing lava, fire, and death to every bit of the forest it crossed. Russell shot upwards in a bolt of energy and clawed the Firebird's beak clean off it's face. The Firebird shrieked angrily and wildly flailed its fiery wings at Russell, but the vampire managed to fly clear of them. Molten lava poured from the wound in the beast's face and hardened into a new beak to replace the previous one.

"Now that's just fuckin' unfair!" Russell cursed.

"This from a vampire with a regenerative healing factor," Blackheart pointed out with a cackle.

The Firebird rounded on Blackheart as he spoke, but the demon skewered the bird's wing with a pine tree that he'd uprooted. Blackheart cackled as the Firebird shrieked and attempted to burn the uprooted tree out of its body. Unable to burn it away fast enough, the Firebird melted from its physical form into a flowing wave of lava, and it began to rapidly splash towards Blackheart. The demon prince danced away as quickly as possible.

"My, you two certainly have proven how utterly useless physical attacks are against the beast," Ardyn said with a laugh as he manifest on a rocky plateau overlooking the oncoming lava flow. "As usual, heavy is the head that wears the crown of usefulness."

Ardyn placed his hands together and called upon his powers of elemancy. With a single gesture, he unleashed a blast of ice elemancy on the lava wave. Steam began to billow off of the wave as it hardened back into solid rock and ice patches cropped up on the stone surface. Ardyn warped down on top of the hardened lava rock and grinned devilishly as he charged his hand up with darkness.

"You're no Infernian, but you'll make a fine daemon," Ardyn said with a chuckle.

However, before Ardyn could place his hand against the stone and begin corrupting the Firebird into a daemon, the bird exploded out from the rock with a bloodcurdling cry. Ardyn was sent tumbling down into a ravine as lava and fire again began to spread across the area, destroying the forest around it. Hades flew up above in his chariot, looking over the destruction below and trying to come up with a plan of attack.

"How the fuck are we supposed to beat that thing?" Russell asked as he flew alongside Hades's chariot. "We can't hit it without it healin', and fuckin' magic didn't work any better."

"I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin', wait, wait, wait," Hades said. "I was able to bind its soul to the statue when I resurrected it. I might be able to bind it again, but I'll need it distracted!"

Russell grinned. "Well I _am_ quite good at bein' the center of attention."

Blackheart blasted the Firebird with a concentrated beam of dark energy, causing the beast to attempt to morph and shift to evade the attack. However, Russell swept down with a blast of fairy light, forcing the Firebird back towards Blackheart. The Firebird writhed and howled as beams of light and dark pressed against it from either side.

"Time to find out if the caged bird sings," Hades said with a sinister grin as smoky tendrils extended from his arms and latched themselves into the Firebird's back.

The Firebird bucked and twisted about, trying to shake off the tendrils, but Hades held firm. Hades gritted his teeth as he began the process of absorbing and harnessing the beast's free will. However, the bird knew quite well what Hades was up to and started flailing about even more desperately. With one powerful shake, the Firebird tugged back on its tethers and yanked Hades clean out of his chariot.

"WHOA THERE!" Hades shouted as the Firebird swung him about.

Eventually the flailing became too much for Hades, and his hold on the Firebird snapped. Hades was sent hurtling through the air. He tried to concentrate enough to teleport himself to safety, but the Firebird quickly rounded on his assailant and unleashed a blast of fiery breath on the Lord of the Dead. The breath struck Hades, and, as before, the destructive energies inflicted immense pain. Hades couldn't even muster his teleportation spell, the pain was so intense. He just fell and fell until he felt himself hit the surface of the nearby lake. As Hades passed beneath the surface, he felt himself sinking farther and farther.

Hades tried to muster the power to save himself, but the pain was too intense. Slowly, everything faded to black....

* * *

Davy Jones and Winnie huddled off to one side of the Jolly Roger's deck, away from the eavesdropping of the rest of the pirate crew they'd been shanghaied into. To say that they were less than enthusiastic about their current situation was an understatement.

"Leashed again like some mongrel pup," Davy Jones spat angrily. "It's Beckett all over again!"

Winnie sneered. "Indeed. My sisters won't even speak to me! There be no loyalty amongst shared blood."

Jones scowled as he thought back to his own son. "None whatsoever. But if we flee again, Maleficent will _destroy_ us."

Winnie clutched her forehead. "A cruel life of servitude. That's all that's left for us now!"

"Perhaps, at least, our leash can be pulled from both ends," Jones suggested.

"What dost thou mean?" Winnie asked, a puzzled expression creeping onto her face.

"I am getting what I want from this dilemma," Jones said definitively. "Ye may mark me."

Jones and Winnie both glanced over to the gangplank to see Hook and Jafar strolling onto the deck of the ship arm in arm.

"I would still suggest turning your attention towards the Seven Deserts," Jafar remarked. "You could activate the talisman and help to expand my empire's power at once. Quite a mutually beneficial arrangement, wouldn't you agree?"

"Point well taken," Hook said with a shrug. "But I'd prefer to go about this _my_ way. If this is to be _my_ power, then the dark deed should be one of my own _for_ my own purposes."

"And I must begrudgingly accept that," Jafar replied. "After all, in your situation, I would desire the same."

Hook raised an eyebrow. "Did you... did you just display _empathy?_ "

"I _will_ have you thrown into the sea!" Jafar threatened. "Do not misunderstand me."

Hook simply smirked. "Of course you will."

"Captain!" Jones called out as he hobbled over to the two men.

Hook's smirk melted into an expression of distaste as he gazed upon Jones. "Father. You're looking particularly repulsive today. Could Maleficent not have done something about those tentacles?"

Under normal circumstances, Jones would lash out for such an insult, but he needed to keep his cool around Hook for more reasons than one. The fact that Hook was keenly aware of one of those reasons made stomaching the insult even harder for the old pirate.

"They grow on you," Jones managed to say after a second.

"Yes, I can see that, as do apparently other undesirable sea creatures," Hook said as he used his hook to pick a barnacle off Jones's shoulder. "You're a bloody ghastly sight, and if I didn't already know it to be true, I'd have never believed that something so hideous could have sired a man as beautiful as me."

"The family resemblance is, indeed, non-existent," Jafar agreed.

"Aye, but why is my curse men with nautical complexions?" Hook asked. "First the crocodile, and now I've to contend with an octopus."

It was taking all of Jones's willpower not to allow Hook's words to infuriate him. He loathed being forced to hold his tongue, and he mentally swore to himself that he would make Hook regret this insult as soon as he was able.

"Well, go on, what say you, octopus?" Hook asked, having his fill of insults for the day.

Jones swallowed his pride and responded, "Captain, there have been unfortunate whispers questioning if the notorious Captain Hook is still a real pirate."

"Careful, mate, that's mutinous talk," Hook warned as his expression darkened.

"Do not mistake me, I know ye to be a true pirate," Jones replied. "But there are others not so certain as I. Perhaps the crew would do well to see ye proving yer mettle as a true ruthless pirate."

"Aye, that might just be beneficial for a number of purposes," Hook nodded, thinking about how such dark deeds could awaken the talisman. "Very well. Get ready to set sail, mates! I can think of a few ports back in the Enchanted Forest we can terrorize!"

"Ports?" Jones asked before popping his lips. "I suppose if the captain is _certain_...."

Hook squinted suspiciously at Jones. "What do you mean by that?"

"To sack an ordinary port is a base act of piracy, one done by even the lowest scoundrels," Jones pointed out. "To prove yer mettle beyond a shadow of a doubt, ye need an act of impressive power, one that would set ye in immortal standing amongst pirates."

"What did you have in mind?" Hook asked.

"Back in the Caribbean, the Brethren Court rules the pirates of the seven seas," Jones explained. "If ye were to establish yerself as the Pirate King, no scoundrel would ever again doubt yer power."

"Pirate King?" Hook asked as a grin crept onto his face. "I rather like the sound of that. Very well then, octopus, you have my attention. Belay me first order, mates! Set our course for the Caribbean!"

Jones smirked and returned to his duties. Winnie, Hans, and Demyx scrambled amongst the rest of the pirate crew to prepare the ship for its new destination.

"You do realize he's manipulating you," Jafar said once Jones was out of earshot.

"Obviously, yes, but he's not wrong," Hook answered. "I need a feat of impressive darkness to awaken the talisman, and controlling all the pirates in the seven seas is a worthy feat indeed. Besides, I'm curious what the old octopus is planning, and I desire to see what lies beyond that horizon."

"Expecting the trap _is_ the first step," Jafar said as he and Hook strolled back into the captain's quarters.

"Aye, and if he turns traitor, we'll keelhaul him and then give whatever's left of him to Maleficent," Hook said with a sadistic grin.

"Sounds delightful, who are we killing, darlings?" a woman's voice asked from over by the liquor cabinet.

Hook drew his sword and Jafar his staff as they both rounded on the person who spoke. The two rolled their eyes and put down their weapons when they saw it was only Cruella.

"You're out of gin," Cruella said as she removed a bottle of wine from the cabinet.

"I don't drink gin," Hook said. "Now what are you doing aboard my ship?"

Cruella uncorked the bottle of wine and took a swig. "Hmm, not bad. A fine vintage."

"Answer the question," Jafar sneered.

"Calm down, darling, honestly," Cruella said with a roll of her eyes. "It's simply been dull lounging about at the castle, so I'm coming along with you. I need a bit more excitement and thrill from something that doesn't require Double-A batteries."

"That's a mental image I didn't need," Hook said as he rubbed his eyes.

"And besides," Cruella said as she clutched her large fur coat tightly, "I needed an excuse to wear this outfit."

Cruella then shed the coat, revealing a sexy black, white, and red pirate wench outfit with fur trimming, fish net tights, and high heeled thigh-high boots. Cruella then reached over to the table to pick up and put on a black tricorn hat embellished with red rhinestones.

"It's a pirate's life for me, darlings," Cruella said with a laugh.

Jafar rolled his eyes. "Must we endure this?"

"I fear we'll have far poorer fortune without her," Hook relented.

"What? You mean you _don't_ want to become intimate with a giant squid?" Cruella asked as she blew a ring of green smoke for a warning.

"Regrettably, it wouldn't be the first time," Hook muttered to himself.

"I should be outraged by your manipulation of my lover," Jafar said to Cruella. "Yet I'm oddly _impressed_. Hypnosis magic is something of a specialty of mine, after all."

Jafar put his arm around Cruella's shoulders and the two of them walked away discussing humorous hypnosis stories. Hook simply shook his head and walked over to the liquor cabinet. Hook scowled when he saw the sight that awaited him.

"Why is the rum always gone?"

* * *

Across the Sea of Marmora, near the border of Asgard and the outer regions, a tall and skinny castle sat situated atop the rocky crags. Loki led Maleficent, Doom, Vanessa, and Watts down the spiral staircase, but he refused to tell them exactly where they were heading. Loki threw open the set of heavy doors to the castle's library and gestured dramatically at the mountains of bookshelves within.

"Behold!" Loki said. "This library once belonged to a powerful sorcerer named Eldred, a kind wizard who once saved my life and taught me every spell he knew. He was the closest thing to a real father I ever had as a boy."

"What became of him?" Maleficent asked.

"Hmm? Oh, I killed him and stole his powers," Loki replied nonchalantly. "The old fool knew much about the dark arts, yet he knew very little of the darkness in a young lad's heart."

"HA! Have I told you lately how much I like your style, Loki?" Vanessa asked.

"As amusing as these past anecdotes are," Watts said as he straightened his tie, "I feel compelled to mention that if this Eldred fellow taught you everything he knew, his library won't be able to supply us with any information that you don't already possess."

Loki shot Watts a venomous glare. "It was a figure of speech, but you knew that. You simply wished to condescend. Victor, remind me again why I allowed you to bring home another _you_."

"There is only one DOOM!" Doom insisted as he began to peruse the shelves. "At any rate, we should all turn our energies towards scouring the books. There is a great deal of reading to do."

"A library filled with books from across all worlds," Maleficent said with a grin. "A bastion of knowledge that even Xehanort could not match! Yes, we will certainly find a way to control Kingdom Hearts in here."

The five Overtakers began to remove stacks of books from the shelves to go over, collecting the books that were the most likely to contain a spell that would serve their purposes. They decided they would start here and work their way through the rest of the library as pertinent.

"So, Loki, I'm a bit confused," Vanessa said as she dropped her stack of books on one of the reading tables. "Amora told me that she and you attended the same Asgardian magic school and that you were the only boy. How'd Eldred factor into that?"

"I already had an understanding of Asgardian magic by the time I found my way to Eldred," Loki explained as he began sorting through his own pile. "The Asgardian school of sorcery teaches fundamentals of magic and the disciplines of Asgardian sorcery. However, Amora and I are both well beyond mere fundamentals. I went on to come across Eldred, whilst she apprenticed under Karnilla the Norn Queen and seduced her way into various other sorcerers' spellbooks."

"That would certainly account for why your magic and Amora's are so distinct," Maleficent noted. "It did not escape my notice that you both shared a core technique to your magic despite your myriad of distinctions in powers and spells."

Watts, being non-magical, had no idea what techniques and disciplines his companions were speaking of, but he listened intently with a scholarly curiosity. Some said that magic was merely science that had not yet been understood, but Watts knew from his experiences with Salem and the Overtakers that that wasn't quite right. Magic _defied_ laws of science, and it did not cooperate with an observable scientific method. All the same, knowledge was knowledge, whether scientific or mystical, and knowledge was power for a man like Watts. In this world of sorcery and cosmic forces, Watts wanted to ensure that he could hold his own with enough knowledge to keep him in good power.

And so, for hours on end, the five Overtakers scoured numerous ancient tomes from across the universe, yet they found nothing that would get them closer to the power they sought.

Vanessa sighed as she tossed a book on magical botany over her shoulder. "This is a waste of our time. Are you sure Eldred had the knowledge we seek?"

"Eldred collected more knowledge on the forces of the universe than even Xehanort," Loki answered as he flipped the page in a book about star positioning. "You have my word that if there exists any power that we can harness, it will be detailed in one of these tomes."

"And the value of your word?" Watts asked.

"A valueless coin, as we all know," Loki replied. "Yet this is no deception."

"Ah, but wait a moment," Maleficent interjected. "I may have found something of interest within this book of the Norns' prophecies."

Doom bristled at the mention of the three weavers of fate, recalling his less than ideal previous encounter with the Greek Fates, whom Loki asserted were the same deities. "What do the Norns have to do with Kingdom Hearts?"

"Most of these prophecies are of little concern to us," Maleficent said, "although I admit myself most intrigued regarding one that foretells of fiery destruction for Asgard should the wedding of two Asgardian Lords be delayed."

Loki groaned. "Do _not_ remind me of that farce. Lord Mord would have been _mine_ if not for Thor and those accursed Warriors Three!"

"Then we shall speak no further of it," Maleficent said. "Yet there remains one prophecy of great interest. Listen well, all of you! _When the Ten Realms align, as is their mission, everything you wish will come to fruition. The Ten shall come together and hear thy curse, evermore you shall rule the universe!_ "

"Mmm, sounds tasty, but I'm not seein' the connection to Kingdom Hearts," Vanessa said.

"Aye, and what of this _tenth_ realm?" Loki asked. "There be but _Nine_ Realms. Have the Norns lost their ability to count?"

"Think carefully, my dears," Maleficent said. "What is the one primal force that can grant the power to rule the universe?"

"Kingdom Hearts," Doom said, following her logic. "You believe the prophecy foretells of a boon granted by Kingdom Hearts."

"Precisely," Maleficent nodded. "And what lies beyond the Door to Darkness?"

"The _Realm_ of Darkness," Arthur Watts offered with a gasp. "The tenth realm!"

"Indeed," Maleficent said with a grin.

"The Nine Realms of Asgard come into alignment but once every five-thousand years," Loki explained, "during a time known as the Convergence. It occurs again in but a year's time. I presume that to be the event the prophecy speaks of."

"So if we open the Door to Darkness during the Asgardian Convergence...," Vanessa offered.

Maleficent grinned wickedly. "Evermore, _we_ shall rule the universe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Firebird is from Fantasia 2000.
> 
> Eldred is from Marvel comics, featuring most notably in Thor #400.


	22. Poisons and Cures

It had existed since the very dawn of time itself and seen countless worlds and millions of civilizations, but now it was dying. For all the power and darkness that it held, it could not survive without bonding to a host organism. Such was the price of its existence. It needed to find a host body within a matter of days or it would finally meet the cold hand of death that it had so masterfully evaded for eons.

Its previous host was no more. After all the time they'd spent feeding off each other's hatred and rage, the host's conscience caught up to him. He'd become far too noble and sacrificed it all to save a mortal woman, damning them both to wander the dimensional rifts betwixt and between. His emotions were all wrong after that. The delectable darkness that made him such an enticing host to begin with was no longer there. They both knew he wouldn't survive another separation from it, but neither of them cared. Eddie Brock was gone, but the symbiote was determined _not_ to follow.

The symbiote slithered down the dark streets, loathed to be so exposed but having very little choice otherwise. At the very least, its natural color kept it reasonably camouflaged against the asphalt. This world was in between light and darkness, between the darkness of the dimension it had been banished to and the light of the dimension ripe with the bodies needed for bonding. The symbiote simply followed the darkness to get to this city, but now it was following something entirely else.

Loud noises were painful and lethal under the right circumstances, but they meant organic life. So the symbiote followed the sound of the painful noise. After all, what was pain to a dying creature?

The House of Villains, the source of the ruckus, loomed up ahead, and the symbiote crawled towards it greedily. Surely a place known as the House of _Villains_ would have someone with the right amount of rage and hatred. If not? Well, the symbiote couldn't consider that possibility at this stage. There had to be a dark mortal soul nearby. Its very existence depended on it.

The scent of cigarette smoke wafted over to the symbiote. Cigarettes meant humans, and humans meant salvation. The symbiote slithered towards the source of the smell, and it found two men lurking outside of the building, chatting with each other about explosives. That was certainly a good sign. But when the symbiote got a good look at one of the two, it recoiled: _Osborn_. He wasn't the Osborn from the symbiote's world, but an Osborn was an Osborn on any world. They may have shared a mutual hatred for Peter Parker, but as far as the symbiote was concerned, death was preferable to being a slave (and, make no mistake, Osborn _would_ enslave it) to Osborn's insanity.

The other human was the source of the cigarette smoke. He was a younger man with long brown hair and a black t-shirt with a white skull on the chest. The color scheme insignia certainly had a familiar quality to the symbiote, and younger men were usually far more vibrant and emotional than their older counterparts. This young man intrigued the symbiote. It slithered over and quietly slid into the young man's boot. Presenting itself in front of Osborn was inadvisable, so it would wait until they were alone. It allowed itself to subtly seep into the young man's skin, eager to learn about its new potential host.

_Sid Phillips_ was his name. The rage, the hatred, and the inner darkness were all there. Yet there was a timidness to this young man. An uncertainty. He had not yet fully blossomed into his darkness. If the symbiote had a mouth to smile, it would have. He _needed_ it, and that made him invaluable. It knew it could give Sid a brand new outlook on life, and together they could certainly become "we."

Oh yes. _Venom_ will live again!

* * *

A half-naked Russell emerged from the surface of the lake and sloshed through the shallows back towards Ardyn and Blackheart, who were waiting on the banks. The charred and smoking remains of the forest loomed behind them, serving as a dark reminder of the power and destruction of the Firebird.

"No sign of him," Russell said. "I searched the whole fuckin' lake. Nothin'. If he fell in there, he sure ain't in there any more."

"Well he couldn't have just crawled out of there himself," Ardyn said. "If he had, he'd have found us by now."

"Do gods leave behind bodies when they die?" Blackheart asked. "Maybe he was destroyed by the blast and the water."

"Oh come on," Russell said as he dried himself off and began to put back on his clothes. "Be serious for once in your goddamn life."

"I _am_ serious," Blackheart snapped. "We've got no business deluding ourselves into thinking it couldn't happen. He's gone. We can't find him. The last time we saw him, he was hurt really bad by an ultimate evil force, one of the few things that might actually be able to kill a god. Those elements together don't exactly bode well for him."

"I do not like to consider the possibility either," Ardyn assured Russell. "Hades was my second chance at a brother who never disappointed me. The thought of losing him is a painful one indeed."

"You've got no fuckin' clue," Russell growled as he slipped back on his leather jacket. "Neither of you have been with the Overtakers as long as I have. Neither of you have spent as much time with Hades as me. He's one of _my_ best friends in the whole fuckin' universe. And y'know what? That's why I _know_ he survived. Because I've seen him beat the odds and come out stronger time and time again. I know how powerful and resourceful he is, and that's why I _know_ he made it!"

"Where do you think he went off to, huh?" Blackheart asked. "You just searched every inch of the lake, Ardyn checked back in at the base, and I've been combing through every inch of this ash heap of a forest! If he's not in any of those places, then where is he?"

"Perhaps it's time to call off our search and to consider other alternatives," Ardyn offered. "I'm certain we can receive a more definitive answer from Grimhilde's mirror?"

Russell sneered but nodded. "Fine. You two imbeciles go back to base and get Grimhilde on the case. I'm gonna stay back here and give this entire world a once over."

Blackheart sighed with exasperation. "Russell, c'mon, let's all just-"

"Do NOT defy me!" Russell shouted, his accent slipping into his original Germanic one. "I am a _Founding Overtaker_ , and I have given you an order! Now GO!"

Blackheart and Ardyn both nodded, fearful of Russell's wrath. A Corridor of Darkness opened, and Blackheart proceeded through it. Ardyn went to follow, but Russell's voice caused him to pause a moment.

"Oh, and if you see that coward Scar back at base, you'll wanna mercy kill him," Russell said, his signature Southern drawl returning. "'Cuz if you don't, then I'm gonna do it slowly and painfully."

Ardyn did not acknowledge Russell's threat and proceeded back through the Corridor of Darkness, leaving Russell alone to stew in his frustration.

* * *

Sid returned to his room feeling positively famished. He dumped an entire bag of frozen tater tots onto a pan and stuck it in the oven. He paced around the kitchen area, feeling incredibly hangry, and began grumbling incoherently to himself. Sid stopped short when he realized that the voice coming out of his mouth didn't sound like _his_ voice. Sid figured he was just feeling poorly because he hadn't eaten and decided to put on some heavy metal to take his mind off of the wait time for his food.

Sid turned on his stereo and began to crank up his favorite Megadork song. Normally the electric guitar riff had a balancing effect on Sid, but this time, as soon as the music started to blare, Sid found himself in incredible pain as if the sound was assaulting his brain. His vision blurred and his ears began to vibrate and ring painfully. He brought his fist down on the stereo, silencing the noise and smashing the stereo to bits. Pangs of regret stung Sid as he looked at the ruined remains of his stereo system.

"What the fuck just happened to me?" Sid asked out loud.

The dinging of his oven pulled Sid's attention away from his confusion. He dashed over to the oven, threw it open, and yanked the hot tray out without an oven mitt. Sid didn't pay attention to the minor burns on his hands. He just began shoveling the tater tots into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days. In a few short seconds, the entire pan's worth of tater tots had been devoured, and Sid let out a loud belch to mark the end of the meal. As his stomach gurgled and burns on his hand began to throb, Sid suddenly became very concerned.

"Something is fucking wrong with me...," Sid said.

"Or is something very right with us?" a sinister sounding voice hissed.

Sid looked around for the source of the voice, but he could not find it. Sid's eyes widened when black slime began to ooze out of his hand and began to heal his burn marks.

"SHIT!" Sid shouted as he stumbled to the ground and tried to wipe the sludge off.

A snake-like head began to curl out of Sid's body. With large pupilless white eyes, a mouth full of razor sharp fangs, and a glossy jet black skin, the entity that had emerged from inside of Sid looked like something out of one of Sid's old school monster doodles. The head grinned as it turned to face Sid. Sid was flabbergasted by this strange creature that had emerged from inside of him, and he looked at it with utter perplexion.

"What the Hell are you?" Sid asked, practically whispering his question.

"We are Venom," the entity said with a growl. "And you are _mine_."

"You... you're why I've been feeling so weird," Sid said.

"Listen carefully, Sid," Venom hissed. "You did not find us, we found you. We sense your fury, your pain, your lust for power, and its taste is _sweet!_ "

"How do you know about that?" Sid asked.

"We know everything about you, Sid," Venom said. "We are inside your _mind_. We know that you are a loser, Sid."

"I am NOT a fucking LOSER!" Sid shouted, lashing out at the symbiote. "Those boring pricks from my home world might've thought so when I picked up their trash. But people like that wear condescension on their sleeves, as if their garbage didn't tell me all of the fucked up shit they got up to behind closed doors. So loser? Tell me a fucking new one."

Venom chuckled a bit at that. "We like your gumption. Together, we can ensure that no one ever thinks you are a loser again. There would be few who could ever stand against us. You would have the power you've wanted since you joined the Overtakers."

"I'm not gonna betray the Overtakers if that's what you're getting at," Sid warned.

"No," Venom said. "We must admit that we are intrigued by these Overtakers. Together, we can be a powerful weapon in the Overtakers' arsenal, one worthy of respect and admiration. Is that not what you want?"

"How do we do that?" Sid asked.

"We bond and become one," Venom said. "You can embrace the gift that Eddie Brock and Peter Parker spurned!"

Sid knew that the symbiote was likely a dangerous bedfellow, and anyone sensible would wait and talk to a trusted ally before making the decision. But Sid wanted power and respect. It was why he joined the Overtakers in the first place. There was really no other choice to be made.

"I'm in!" Sid said with an eager grin.

"That's all we needed to hear," Venom said with a grin.

Black ooze began to slither up Sid's body until the young man was coated head to toe in the Venom symbiote. Sid grew taller and more muscular, and Venom's face masked his own. Before with Brock, the emblem on Venom's chest was a large white spider. Now, the suit kept the spider's legs, but in the place of the spider's body was a white skull in the same shape as the one on Sid's shirt to reflect their new bond. The two stood tall, now two no longer. Only one.

" _We_ are Venom!"

* * *

Inside the nigh impregnable fortress of Shipwreck Cove, the Brethren Court, the governing body of all pirates in the seven seas, held council. Nine pirate lords gathered around the old table with their entourage of crew members surrounding them. Off to the side, Captain Teague, the Keeper of the Pirate Code, strummed a tune on his lute as the other pirates bickered amongst themselves. The reigning Pirate King of the Brethren Court, Elizabeth Swann, was trying and failing to maintain a semblance of order amongst the madness.

"Listen to me! _Listen!_ " Elizabeth cried out over the noise. "As Pirate King I demand you listen to me!"

When the pirates didn't stop bickering at Elizabeth's request, Barbossa chimed in. "She be the Pirate King by the laws of the Code. Will ye all not be keepin' to the _Code_ then?"

Captain Teague stopped playing and glowered menacingly at the Brethren Court, his hand drifting ever closer to his pistol. The other pirates quickly became silent and gave Elizabeth their undivided attention.

"Remarkable how well that always works," Jack Sparrow whispered to Barbossa, earning a chuckle of agreement from his former first mate.

"We know that Davy Jones, or someone impersonating him, has been terrorizing ships throughout the Spanish Main," Elizabeth said. "He is acting with no restraint and no orders, killing indiscriminately, and he must be stopped!"

"How can we hope to stop a dead man?" Mistress Ching asked. "We've no magic to combat this renegade spirit!"

"True, but Captain Turner of the Flying Dutchman _does_ ," Elizabeth said. "We must perform the ritual to summon him to our aid!"

"Certainly no ulterior motives there either front-ways, sideways, or back-left-ways," Jack chimed in. "So long as it's he and not I who's left alone with the terrible beastie this time, I categorically, definitively, and non-committedly endorse the plan."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Jack's response but said nothing. "Are we all in agreement?"

A murmur of "ayes" passed over the gathering, and Barbossa placed a friendly hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"By your leave, Captain Swann," Barbossa said with a sly smile.

" _Captain Swann?_ " Hook asked as he strolled into the chamber. "You can hardly imagine how much that particular name has vexed me."

The entire crowd of pirates immediately drew their swords and aimed their pistols at Hook. Hook chuckled and held up both of his hands to dissuade them from shooting.

"Parley?" Hook asked with a shrug.

Jafar and Cruella entered behind Hook, and Jafar simply laughed at the display.

"Enough of this then," Jafar said as he snapped his fingers.

In a flash of red energy, the pirates' weaponry transformed into harmless moths, causing the pirates to cry out in surprise. When Davy Jones hobbled into the room to join his comrades, a chill of terror descended upon all present.

"Well, well, well," Jones said with a chuckle as he laid eyes upon Jack and Elizabeth. "If it isn't Jack Sparrow and the woman young Master Turner left ashore. So wonderful to see ye both again after all this time."

"Davy! Marvelous to see _you_ again. You're looking especially slimy today," Jack said with a nervous chuckle. "Now I do believe I have matters elsewhere, so if you'll pardon me for just a moment..."

Barbossa held up an arm to block Jack from leaving. Barbossa shook his head, and Jack sheepishly scurried behind his first mate, Mr. Gibbs, to hide from Jones.

"Good news, mates, I've solved your problems with my scallywag of a father," Hook said to the rest of the court as he gestured to Davy Jones. "He won't be terrorizing your ships any time soon."

"Father, eh? The family resemblance is uncannily lacking," Jack remarked as he peaked out from behind Gibbs.

"Why do I have the feeling your generosity does not come free?" Elizabeth asked.

"You're a perceptive lass, aren't you?" Hook asked.

"No mere lass," Elizabeth said. "I'm the Pirate _King_."

"Then it is my lucky day, indeed," Hook said with a grin. "Here I thought the Pirate King would be a rum soaked vagabond, not a lovely rose with powerful thorns. You remind me of another Swan I once knew."

"I believe I implied a question to you, sir," Elizabeth said with a sneer. "And you've still yet to introduce yourself beyond your blood relation to Jones."

" _Killian_ Jones," Hook said with a dramatic bow. "But most have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker, Captain Hook. As to your question, well, I've simply come for the crown of the Pirate King."

The Brethren Court and all their crews let out a hearty laugh at Hook's words.

"The Pirate King is elected by popular vote amongst the Nine Pirate Lords," Barbossa informed Hook. "And ye won't be eligible due to yer lack of status as a Pirate Lord and yer general unwelcomed intrusion upon our affairs."

The rest of the pirates gave a loud murmur of assent.

"Yes, your well chosen exclusionary words will certainly deter me from future malfeasance," Hook replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Code keeper," Davy Jones spoke up, his voice sending chills down the spines of all in attendance. "What say yer code regarding a challenge to the authority of the Pirate King?"

Captain Teague perked up and scowled at Jones. "By your tone, I'd wager you already know the answer."

"Remind me," Jones said with a smirk.

"Should the title of Pirate King ever be challenged," Captain Teague recited from memory. "The Brethren Court has the authority to vote in favor of holding a contest of combat to determine the true Pirate King. This battle is to be fought to the death."

"Out of the question!" Barbossa declared. "We'll not give this scoundrel an opportunity to unseat our rightfully elected Pirate King on his non-existent grounds!"

"In that case, I'll just have to allow Jones to kill _all_ of you, and then I can plead my case to your successors," Hook pointed out with a devilish grin."If you believe in your Pirate King, then let her defend herself and prove herself worthy."

"Do NOT fall for his threats!" Elizabeth urged the council. "I _have_ proven myself worthy against Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company. This man is only trying to bully you into a position where he can cheat his way into the crown. We have our means of stopping Jones, and we can protect our way of life. Do _not_ give in to his threats."

"Pretty words, love, but we are in a den of self-serving pirates," Hook pointed out.

"The Brethren Court are far more than some self-serving scoundrels," Elizabeth said. "We are free women and men who have bravely stood up to the oppressions of tyranny and colonialism and made the sea free for everybody. Pirates have more honor than you think."

"Very well, then prove me wrong," Hook challenged. "Lets have that vote then."

"A vote it is," Captain Teague announced. "All opposed to a battle for the title of Pirate King, raise your hand high to be counted."

Elizabeth and Barbossa both proudly raised their hands, but a glance around the room revealed that they were the only ones. Elizabeth's heart sank as she wordlessly pleaded with the other pirate lords to no avail. Upon realizing who, in particular, did not vote along with them, Elizabeth and Barbossa turned and shot a poisonous glare at Jack Sparrow.

"One trip to the locker on your behalf was quite enough, thank you," Jack said, "loathed though I am to act purely on self-interest in such troubling times, I must, in fact, do exactly that."

"Ye do realize, Jack, that when this blackguard becomes Pirate King, he'll turn ye over to his father without a second thought," Barbossa pointed out.

Jack yelped and quickly raised his hand, bringing the vote tally to three.

"Come on, raise them high then," Jack urged the other pirate lords. "You heard all that wonderfully heroic drivel that Elizabeth spewed just a moment ago."

But no one else saw fit to raise their hand.

"All in favor of the duel?" Teague asked with a sigh.

The remaining six pirate lords all raised their hands.

"Bloody pirates," Elizabeth cursed under her breath.

"I _did_ forewarn you," Hook said with a grin. "Pirates are pirates. It'll be better for them to be led by a Pirate King who understands their kind."

Elizabeth glowered at Hook. "We will fight, and you _will_ die. Get your affairs in order."

"You're hardly the first to tell me to do just that, and you won't be the last," Hook quipped.

Captain Teague stood up and gave a deep sigh. "Prepare the arena. Tonight at sunset, Captain Swann and Captain Hook will do battle for the title of _Pirate King_."

Jafar placed a hand on Hook's shoulder as the pirates raucously cheered. "You do realize this is exactly what your father wants. They possess some means of subduing him, and thus a mortal like you will be no trouble at all."

"Then it's a rather fortunate wind at my back that I have you and your magic to help me," Hook said.

* * *

The man in the black coat navigated the halls of the Eminence Palace with stealth and precision. He knew his way around the castle better than many of the Overtakers. After all, it was his castle to roam long before it was theirs. He'd observed their chaos in Thebes the other day. They had no structure or organization, and that made them contemptable on principle. They were slaves to the dark wiles of their hearts and thus their humanity, something he no longer had to worry about. Humanity was a precious gift, and many would consider him a fool for removing his own heart to willingly become a Nobody once more after having been recompleted. He didn't care. There was nothing left for him as Isa anymore.

A light up ahead and the faint sound of voices told him that there was someone in the next room, and if they raised an alarm, Saïx knew he'd be unable to face whatever came for him. Saïx stole down the corridor and hid himself behind a large gargoyle as he peered into the lit room. Frollo and Lady Waltham were sitting on either side of a chess board, with Waltham studying the board intently and Frollo looking altogether too pleased with himself.

"As you can see, my dear, this game is mine," Frollo said smugly. "But do not feel too terribly. After all, a simple woman like yourself could never hope to defeat a man as brilliant and well-educated as-"

"Checkmate," Waltham said as she moved a single pawn into position.

" _What black magic is this then?_ " Frollo asked, totally dumbfounded.

"No black magic, minister," Waltham replied smugly. "You've just lost to a... simple woman. Then again, the French always do lose to the English. It is the natural way of things."

Frollo sneered and knocked the chess pieces off the board before getting up and storming out of the room, passing Saïx without even realizing it. Waltham didn't seem at all perturbed by Frollo's outburst. She just got down on her hands and knees and began collecting the toppled game pieces. Whilst she was distracted cleaning up, Saïx knew this was his opening. He quickly and quietly scurried past Waltham and made his way to the door.

"Demyx?" Waltham asked as she rose to her feet. "Is that you?"

Saïx cringed and thanked his good fortune that Demyx never bothered to change out of his Organization XIII coat. Saïx wasn't much of an actor. Unlike many of his comrades, he'd never seen fit to put on a mask of emotions to hide his lack of a heart. All the same, he knew Demyx well from their time together in the Organization, and that knowledge would be necessary to preserve the stealth of his mission.

"Yeah, it's me," Saïx said, putting on the most nasal voice he could muster. "I'm trying to hide from Grimhilde. She was gonna make me wash the floors. Don't tell anybody you saw me, okay?"

"You know quite better than to run from Grimhilde," Waltham snapped. "She does not make requests lightly. That being said, you've no fear of me betraying your secret. Should you wish to dig your own grave, that is your business."

"Thank you!" Saïx said as he quickly continued through the doorway, leaving Waltham behind.

He worked his way through the back hallways and up the staircase to the master wing of the castle, Maleficent's private quarters and her adjacent rooms. Saïx sneered at the sight. Once, this room belong to his Superior, but now it was in the hands of his greatest rival. Saïx loathed thinking about the evil fairy using what was once their castle for her own ends. He quickly dismissed those thoughts. He had a task to complete, and he needed to have a clear head to complete it.

Saïx quickly peeked into several of the attached chambers. An entire room for additional closet space. An office with a large desk. A laboratory of mystical elements. None of them were what he was here for. On his fourth try, however, Saïx found the room he sought to find. This room contained only a large thorn bush that filled almost the entire space. In the center of the thorn bush, crucified and unconscious, was Xemnas.

Saïx unleashed a flicker of lunar fire to burn away the parts of the bush keeping Xemnas prisoner. Once there was a clear path to do so, he began the work of removing his former Superior from the thorns. Saïx was careful not to allow the briars to prick his flesh, knowing full and well that they contained a deadly poison designed to paralyze and painfully murder their victims. The only reason Xemnas had survived was because of Maleficent cursing him with immortality. Saïx was not so fortuitous. However, Maleficent's hubris in keeping Xemnas alive would be her undoing.

Saïx cradled Xemnas in his arms and produced a potion from his pocket. He uncorked the bottle and pressed the rim to Xemnas's lips as he poured the magical drink down Xemnas's throat. The antidote to the poison would take time to take effect, but it _would_ restore Xemnas to his full strength. Of that, he was quite sure. Saïx removed his hood, exposing his face and the long blue hair he had hidden beneath the cowl. Even though he knew Xemnas couldn't see his face now, it still felt right for Saïx to speak to his Superior face to face.

"Sleep now, Xemnas," Saïx whispered. "For when you awake, there will be a terrible reckoning for all those who have done you harm. This I solemnly swear to you!"

* * *

Hades felt... groggy. Everything on his body hurt, and it was a struggle to open his eyes. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was lying on his back, but he had no real memory of ever having fallen asleep. His skin was damp, and when he tried to sit up, every joint in his body protested. So Hades resigned to just staying on his back for the time being, not that that position was currently in any way comfortable either.

The last thing he remembered was the Firebird rising from the ashes, and then...

"Son of a Pasiphaë!" Hades cursed as he started to rub his eyes as the memories flooded back to him.

"Oh! You're awake!" a woman said as she glided over to him. "Lie still, please. My herbs can only work their power so quickly."

As Hades's blurry vision cleared up, he could see this strange woman clearly. Somehow the fact that her entire skin and body were green was the least strange thing about her. She seemed to be wearing a long robe that her hair melted into, and that robe resembled wings and a flowing tail of sorts. She had flower petals and butterflies adorning her hair and body, and she looked like nature itself incarnated into a single being. However, there was something familiar about her that Hades just couldn't place.

"You were hurt pretty badly by the Firebird," the woman explained. "I pulled you out of the lake before you could drown."

"I can't drown; I'm a god," Hades said with a scoff. "And I could've handled the Firebird, by the way. I'm not some weak mortal."

"I see," the woman said, a playful smirk creeping onto her face at that.

That's when Hades knew where he'd seen her before. He'd know that smirk and the expression in those eyes anywhere. It shouldn't have been possible to see them ever again, yet there they were, as alive and full of hope and vibrancy as the first day he'd seen her in Demeter's green fields.

" _Persephone?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This version of Venom is the one from Spider-Man: the Animated Series, who was last seen falling through a portal to another dimension.
> 
> Elizabeth Swann, Jack Sparrow, Barbossa, Captain Teague, and the Brethren Court are all from Pirates of the Caribbean.
> 
> The Spring Sprite who saved Hades is from Fantasia 2000.


	23. Word to the Wise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you'll want to be familiar with the song "Word to the Wise" from Hadestown.

"WHAT?" Maleficent bellowed angrily, her voice echoing throughout the Eminence Palace.

Green flames erupted everywhere as thunder roared outside, and Maleficent stormed into the common room, startling all Overtakers present.

"WHERE IS XEMNAS? YOU FOOLS! YOU'VE LET HIM ESCAPE!" Maleficent shouted wrathfully as Pete, Zurg, and the Sanderson Sisters scrambled to run and hide.

"This probably isn't the time to tell you that Hades is missing, is it?" Blackheart asked.

Maleficent's eyes flashed with concern. " _What?_ "

"I have that under control," Grimhilde assured Maleficent as she placed a sympathetic hand on Maleficent's shoulder. "I have set my mirror to the task of finding him, and Russell is still searching the world in which he vanished. I do not believe it is connected to Xemnas's disappearance."

"We must find them BOTH!" Maleficent declared.

Maleficent raised her left hand, and Diablo swooped down and landed on her wrist. She turned her golden eyes on her faithful raven.

"Go, my pet, find Xemnas and _anyone_ who dares to aid that fool!" Maleficent ordered. "They shall be punished _severely_."

Diablo cawed in acknowledgment and took to the skies to search for the man who had vexed his mistress so. Maleficent turned to face Grimhilde and Blackheart.

"Now explain to me clearly in the utmost detail," Maleficent asked, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady. " _What happened to Hades?_ "

* * *

The bell atop the door of the Gotham City branch of Castaway Cabana gave a little ring to signify the new arrivals entering the store. Penguin hobbled into the dimly lit shop, his cane thumping against the floorboards as he walked. Behind him, Riddler entered, strutting in confidently wearing his dapper green suit. Fish Mooney was sitting on top of the shop's counter with her legs crossed as she applied a new coat of blood red lipstick.

"It's so good to see you again, Fish," Penguin said with a grin as he hobbled over to her.

"It's been too long!" Fish agreed as she tucked away her makeup in her purse. "Have the weapons and magical artifacts I lent you from the other worlds been useful?"

"Incredibly!" Penguin said with a chuckle. "I'm particularly fond of those Hands of Glory you gave me. They've made for the smoothest and most profitable heists I've ever seen, and thieves are paying through the nose to get them!"

"Somehow I knew you'd love them," Fish said with a grin.

Riddler was currently studying a jar that housed a pickled mandrake root. " _Fascinating_. But I assume you didn't call us down here just to discuss the merchandise."

"True, but as a partner in this criminal organization, I like to stay informed on what's working," Fish said. "In fact, _that's_ why I called you here: I want to renegotiate our partnership."

Penguin's expression darkened. "We have a good thing going on, Fish. _Please_ reconsider if you're thinking about ruining it."

"Hmm? Oh, no, nothing like that," Fish said. "I was sincere when I told you before that I wanted you and I to rule this city together, and I'm happy to include the Riddler in that bargain and to stay mostly out of your hair on a day to day basis. That won't change. Actually, I'm looking to _expand_ the scope of our influence."

Riddler grinned at that. "What has no hands but might knock on your door, and you better open up if it does?"

"An opportunity!" Penguin answered with a grin. "Well alright then, go ahead, Fish."

Fish clicked her tongue twice and wagged her finger. "Not yet. First things first. We need to have a little... _family_ reunion. I need to make sure we're all willing to cooperate with each other first."

Penguin looked confused at that. "I've already met Ursula and Kieran. Lovely people. I'm sure we'll collaborate famously."

"That warms my heart to hear," Fish said. "But they're not who I mean. No, I mean my family from right here in Gotham." Two tongue clicks and a finger wag. "You can come out now."

From the backroom portal, a hulking goliath of a man stepped out of the darkness, and terrified expressions crept onto Penguin and Riddler's faces when they saw who it was it. Solomon Grundy huffed and crossed his arms.

"Is... is he Grundy or...?" Riddler asked, the unspoken part of his question being "Butch."

Penguin was still too stunned to say anything.

"I'm goin' by Grundy now, but I got all my memories as Butch," Grundy answered. "Includin' what you both did to me."

Penguin finally managed to gasp out a response. " _I_ was always your friend, Butch! I told you that before I had to kill you!"

"HAD TO KILL ME?" Grundy roared angrily. "Bullshit! You did it to hurt Tabby! And then that wasn't even enough for you! You killed her too!"

"She stabbed MY MOTHER IN THE BACK!" Penguin shouted angrily. "Which YOU stood there and let happen! So, yes, I killed her. And I would do it again and AGAIN!"

"Oswald... THAT'S NOT HELPING!" Riddler shouted.

"That's rich, comin' from you," Grundy snarled. "You're the reason any of this happened in the first place! Oswald, Barbara, Tabby, and I were fine and on the up and up until you came into our lives and tore _everybody_ apart!"

"Oh Butchy-Butch, I knew you were a simpleton, but I didn't know delusion was also a symptom of your contemptibly low IQ," Riddler quipped.

"Enough," Fish interjected, not bothering to raise her voice. "Obviously there's quite a lot of bad blood between you all. For what comes next, we all have to move past that. Every single person in this room has a long and bloody history of betrayal with one another. It's part of the charm of being from Gotham, am I right?"

The other three all grumbled in agreement.

"If I could forgive Penguin for killing me, and Penguin and Riddler could forgive one another for their long and devastating blood feud," Fish began, "then surely the bad blood between you three can be put aside for the sake of all our ambitions."

"I still consider Butch my friend," Penguin said calmly. "If he wants to live and let live, then by all means."

"Yeah, sure, fine," Riddler said. "I'll play along. A little extra muscle never hurt."

Grundy looked from Penguin to Riddler to back to Fish. "Fine. I'll do it for you, Fish. Not for them."

"That'll suffice for now," Fish said with a nod. "Let's hope things go as well with our other family member...."

"Other?" Riddler asked.

"Ah, there he is now!" Fish said with a grin as she waved at the newcomer entering the shop.

As Hugo Strange entered the shop only to find it filled with ghosts from his past, he let out a deep sigh.

"Oh noooooo," Strange groaned.

"I think you mean, 'Hello Fish, you're looking lovely today, I've missed you terribly,'" Fish said to him.

"Why is _he_ here?" Penguin huffed.

"Yeeeeeeees, why _am_ I here?" Strange asked.

"I wanted to bring together the whole family," Fish said. "And, like it or not, Hugo here is responsible for three of us returning from the dead."

"While the fourth of us got tortured by him in Arkham _daily!_ " Penguin snapped.

"For which I have already suffered," Strange replied.

"Not enough," Riddler said, "especially for what you did to ME!"

"Now, now, Mr. Nygma, I _did_ restore you to life," Strange said. "There were simply... other interested parties in your resurrection."

"You made me into a meat puppet! ME! _THE RIDDLER_!" Riddler shouted.

"I apologize, Mr. Nygma," Strange said. "You have my word that there will be no further medical surprises... at least none of my doing."

"Fish, this isn't a team, it's a time bomb," Grundy warned. "The five of us workin' together? It ain't gonna happen."

"Oh, it will, because we all need one another," Fish said. "Grundy's strength, Strange's mastery of science, Riddler's intellect, Penguin's resourcefulness, and, of course, my power and knack for bringing people together."

"And what exactly do we need each other for?" Strange asked.

"The Overtakers have flourished with my help," Fish said. "Our power is known and feared throughout the universe, and I've worked tirelessly to bring countless criminal empires under my heel. But my heart will always lie here in Gotham with my family. And now, I want to bring my family into the fold _together_ to share in our power."

"That's generous," Riddler said. "But why now? Why not before? You clearly want us for something, and that's not a riddle I intend to leave unsolved."

Fish smirked. "Clever as always. The truth is that the Overtakers are inching closer to our biggest power play yet. All members of the inner circle have been consolidating their power by whatever means necessary. _My_ power has always been my talent for cultivating relationships. Adding you all to the Overtakers increases the reach of my influence."

"So you're stacking the Overtakers with people loyal to you to maintain a comfortable position of power," Penguin summarized. "You didn't call us in before because you didn't want to risk any of us climbing the ranks to surpass you. Bringing us in now means we bolster your power without threatening it. So _we're_ only really numbers for you."

"No, not numbers, _family_ ," Fish clarified. "Yes, your being there benefits me, and yes, my timing is strategic. But you also get a piece of the entire universe. Untold riches," she looked to Penguin, "knowledge," to Riddler, "power," to Strange. "That's what we call a win-win. By all means, turn me down, but if you do, you get nothing."

Riddler and Penguin shared a glance, and Hugo Strange looked over the others gathered. Grundy simply crossed his arms and exhaled. He was already an Undertaker and thus was already in good graces with the Overtakers despite his limited role. This decision wasn't one he had to grapple with.

"I humbly accept your offer, Ms. Mooney," Penguin said with a grin.

"I'm in as well," Riddler seconded. "Who can resist a riddle about the nature of the universe itself?"

"I suppose my curiosity has been piqued as well," Strange agreed. "I will follow."

"You know I'm always behind ya, Fish," Grundy affirmed.

Fish grinned and peeled back the curtain to the backroom, revealing the portal back to the Overtaken Kingdom.

"Then come with me," Fish beckoned. "I have much to show you all."

* * *

Elizabeth Swann let out an exasperated sigh as she entered the captain's quarters of the Black Pearl. "Jack, you said you had something to show me on the ship that could help me win the duel against Hook. Where is it?"

In truth, the captain's quarters were much the way that Elizabeth remembered them. There was nothing out of the ordinary or unusual to be found there.

"What? Is it not there?" Jack asked, looking behind Elizabeth.

Elizabeth turned around. "Where?"

"There!" Jack said, pointing vaguely in one direction. "There is where it is not if it indeed should be, but perhaps it is there after all and the one not seeing what should be there is the one who has determined that it is not there at all."

Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and scowled at Jack. "How much rum have you been drinking today?"

Jack furrowed his brow. "I resent that. I have not had a single drop of rum whatsoever... recently... relatively... in the past half an hour."

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes. "I have a duel to get to, and you're wasting my time."

"Ah! Yes! The duel! I have just the thing for that!" Jack declared. "There!"

"Jack Sparrow! You stop that this instant!" Elizabeth ordered as she stomped her foot.

"Stop what?" Jack asked.

Elizabeth just shook her head. "Good-bye, Jack."

However, when Elizabeth tried to walk past Jack, he placed himself in between her and the door. Elizabeth stepped to go around him, and Jack moved to block her again. Elizabeth made a move as if she was going to step to the other side again, tricking Jack into moving out of the way. However, she remained on left and quickly dashed out of the captain's cabin once Jack was out of the way. As Elizabeth walked out onto the deck of the Black Pearl, she realized that the gang plank was missing and, more peculiar still, they seemed to be moving. Elizabeth leaned over the railing to look behind the ship, only to see Shipwreck Cove shrinking behind them.

"Turn this ship around IMMEDIATELY!" Elizabeth ordered.

"Belay that!" Jack said as he came rushing out onto the deck. "There'll be no reversing course!"

"You tricked me," Elizabeth said angrily.

"Pirate," Jack said as he pointed at himself.

"I demand you return me to Shipwreck Cove at once!" Elizabeth ordered. "I am the Pirate King, and I must defend my title from that blackguard! I can't abandon the Brethren!"

"And what, pray tell, is the use of staying for that fight?" Jack asked. "That belligerent rapscallion with the weaponized prosthetic would cut you down and hang that pretty head of yours from his ship's figurehead."

"I can win that duel!" Elizabeth insisted.

"Nay, ye cannot, Miss Swann," Barbossa said as he descended the staircase from the helm. "I overheard tale that these blackguards serve at the behest of a powerful witch what goes by the name Maleficent."

"Maleficent?" Elizabeth asked.

"Aye, Maleficent," Barbossa nodded. "She be the one who lent me the power of the Heartless back when we first crossed paths. Her emissary Pete was but a small snippet of her evil powers. Ye'd have certainly met yer death, and dead _women_ tell no tales either."

"So we just abandon the Brethren Court to those villains?" Elizabeth asked, shaking her head.

"They'd have done the same to you; I swear it on pain of death," Jack assured her. "The oldest and noblest of pirate traditions is to turn and run away."

"There be no heroes amongst our ilk," Barbossa assured Elizabeth. "But now we can bolster our forces and find Captain Turner and that boy with the key what cut me down the last time."

"Zola," Jack offered.

" _Sora_ ," Elizabeth corrected as she placed a hand to her forehead. "All of this just feels so wrong."

"To be technical and legally accurate as it were," Jack said. "The decision to run away was not made by you, and thus you should feel no guilt for said actions being as you were, in fact, shanghaied by a pair of dishonest sorts what feel no remorse for such things. Savvy?"

Elizabeth couldn't help but crack a smile at his statement. "I suppose I can hardly argue with that logic, can I?"

* * *

Back in Shipwreck Cove, the pirates gathered around the battle arena, waiting impatiently for the duel to begin. Hook paced around the center of the arena, occasionally glancing at Jafar, Cruella, Davy Jones, Winnie, Hans, and Demyx in the front row of the audience. Captain Teague sat nervously off to the side atop a barrel.

"Where the bloody hell is Swann?" Hook asked angrily. "It's well past sunset, and she's not arrived."

A pirate lookout came running into the arena. "News, sirs, I've news!"

"Well go on then, spit it out," Hook ordered.

"The Black Pearl has departed from Shipwreck Cove," the lookout reported. "Saws it meself, I did! Captain Swann is aboard the ship."

Hook grinned wickedly at that. "So the Pirate King flees rather than face me. Can't say as I blame her. She'd likely have gotten distracted by my devilishly good looks and been unable to fight properly. But a woman unwilling to fight for what she wants deserves what she gets. Tell me, Code Keeper, what is the Pirate Code policy for cowards?"

"Should either party in the duel for Pirate King fail to attend, said party forfeits the duel and their lordship," Captain Teague reported with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Ergo, we have a new Pirate King: _Captain Hook_."

Hook held up his sword triumphantly, and murmurs passed over the crowd of pirates. A few pirates who knew which way the wind was blowing applauded enthusiastically for Hook's "victory."

"This is unacceptable!" Jones said as he rose from his seat. "We _must_ go after Sparrow and Swann and make them both pay for their transgressions! Let us prepare our forces to _annihilate_ them!"

Hook squinted at Jones and a smirk crept onto his face. "So that's been your angle, has it? You manipulated me here to get revenge on your adversaries."

Jones popped his tongue and turned away from Hook. "I... merely wished to present ye with a means of unlocking yer amulet in a way that would prove mutually beneficial."

"Well I'm the true Pirate King now, and I see no profit in pursuing Captain Swann," Hook asserted. "Least of all considering that you yourself manipulated me into that course of action. No, I've a far more rich horizon off my bow...."

Hook turned to address the audience of Pirate Lords and pirates. "My first order as King of the Brethren Court: prepare every vessel that floats. We've a port to sack!"

As the pirates cheered and scrambled to prepare the ships, Hook strutted over to Jafar and Cruella.

"All's well that ends well," Hook said with a grin. "Couldn't have done it without either of you."

Jafar dismissively waved his hand. "Whispering Maleficent's name in the right ears was simply child's play."

"Speak for yourself, darling," Cruella said. "Have you any idea how hard it is to casually bring up Maleficent in conversation? I had to pretend to be sloppily drunk."

" _Pretend_ , she says," Jafar scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

Cruella shot a venomous glare at Jafar before turning back to Hook. "How'd you know that mentioning Maleficent would get that stringy haired girl to turn tail?"

"Last time we visited this world, Maleficent and Pete told tale of their past alliance with Barbossa," Hook explained. "After seeing how he had Swann's ear, I knew a few well placed whispers would either get him to flee with her in tow or to bargain with us under the table. We pirates tend to have one of two reactions, after all."

"Impressive, you played the game well and stole an empire," Jafar complimented. "I've always loved your clever and twisted mind."

Hook tossed a pair of dice into the air and caught them once they came down. "It's all one big game of Pirate's Dice. Know what you have in your hand, learn your opponents' tells, and lie with a straight face."

"Do tell me we'll see some actual bloodshed soon," Cruella pouted. "I was so looking forward to seeing you slice that Swann girl to ribbons."

Hook's grinned turned positively devilish. "Oh trust me, this is only the first act of harnessing the amulet's power. The real finale is still yet to come...."

* * *

When Sid walked out onto the terrace overlooking the thorn gardens, he found Ursula sitting out at one of the iron tables with Loki. The two of them seemed to be deep in conversation, and he hated to interrupt and risk incurring their wrath. However, he had an important question for the sea-witch, and he had no intentions of leaving it alone.

"All I'm saying is that it's strange for the prophecy to mention the realms coming together twice," Ursula said to Loki. "The second verse is redundant."

"The Norns have ever been known to speak ten words where one will suffice," Loki remarked. "I'd hardly think it warrants investigation."

"It just seems like there's something here we're missing," Ursula said.

"A discussion break, Ursula," Loki sneered as he noticed Sid. "An uninvited guest approaches."

"We're sorry to interrupt," Sid said. "But Kieran told us to ask Ursula for help with-"

" _We're? Us?_ " Loki interrupted. "Do you think yourself high enough to use the royal 'we' or are you accompanied by another?"

"Sorry. Fuck. We should've introduced you to our other half," Sid said as the symbiote emerged from his body and morphed him into Venom.

Ursula's eyes widened. "Well that's certainly _one_ way to get my attention."

"Ah, the Venom symbiote," Loki remarked with a grin. "How intriguing!"

"You know about this thing?" Ursula asked.

"Indeed so," Loki nodded. "Though I know not if this is indeed the same creature from the Midgard I know, I doubt it has much in the way of variance from that entity. It appears young Mr. Phillips here has found a weapon of great power and darkness."

"We're very happy together," Venom asserted as it flailed its tongue about. "Aside from one... _irreconcilable_ difference. A difference we believe the sea-witch can help."

"And what might that be?" Ursula asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Despite our strength and power, we possess certain vulnerabilities," Venom explained. "The most cumbersome of these weaknesses is a vulnerability to loud noises, yet Sid... me... I... we... love rock and roll... _loud_ rock and roll. Particularly heavy metal. Yet we cannot rock or roll without experiencing intense pain that threatens our symbiotic existence."

"I beg your pardon," Loki said. "But are you really here asking for magical aid to suppress an inherent weakness all for the purpose of listening to loud music?"

"Well... yes," Venom nodded.

"HA! No task too small, I see," Ursula said.

"Can you do this for us?" Venom asked.

"Do you even have to ask, handsome?" Ursula replied. "The better question is how you're gonna pay me for it. You can't get something for nothing, after all."

"We only have about twenty bucks to our name right now," Venom admitted.

"Money doesn't interest me anyhow," Ursula said with a wave of her hand. "Let's just say you'll owe me a favor. _Any_ favor. That work for you, big stuff?"

"Yes, we agree," Venom nodded.

Ursula held out her hand, and a bubble appeared over it, growing larger and larger. Once it grew to the correct size, it popped and a white nautilus shell necklace fell into the palm of Ursula's hand.

"Removing an inherent weakness is a bit of a tall order, but I can give you the next best thing," Ursula explained. "I enchanted this sea shell to hold a voice once stolen, and what's a voice but sound? Had to be soundproof, of course. Couldn't have Ariel's voice singing while I was trying to get work done. The symbiote can tuck itself into the shell, and you can rock as well as roll."

Ursula chuckled as she handed the shell to Venom. He latched the necklace around his neck, and the symbiote disappeared into the shell, turning the white shell black and leaving only Sid out with Loki and Ursula.

"That you had a solution for so specific a request both astounds and disgusts me," Loki said to Ursula.

"When you're trying to sell magic to every complainer under the sea, you've gotta learn how to give the people what they want... before you SNATCH it away! HA!" Ursula declared with a villainous laugh.

"Snatch it away?" Sid asked, suddenly very concerned.

"Not you, babycakes," Ursula assured him. "You've got the Overtaker inside track. Guarantees a fair deal. But I _will_ still want that favor, you understand."

"Abso-fucking-lutely!" Sid declared. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm ready to fucking ROCK!"

Sid began to play air guitar as he danced and bopped his way back inside. When Ursula realized that Loki was giving her a smug look, she scoffed.

"Your face is gonna get stuck that way one of these days," Ursula remarked. "I'm surprised it hasn't already. Go on. Say whatever clever little thing you're thinking."

"A fair deal from the great Ursula? I admit myself scandalized," Loki said with a smirk. "You'd never give an... 'inside track' to me, and we've been close friends for quite some time."

"If I gave _you_ a fair deal, you'd just backstab _me_ ," Ursula said. "And I'd deserve it for trusting you."

"Indeed you would," Loki said with a laugh. "So why help the boy with no strings attached?"

"What can I say, I have a soft spot for the Junior Overtakers," Ursula admitted. "I wanna see him and Kieran grow up big and powerful!"

"And what of Hans and Demyx?" Loki asked.

"HA!" Ursula scoffed. "If those two morons _survive_ , it'll be a miracle."

* * *

Hades was sitting up from the bed of flowers where he'd been lying down moments earlier, never taking his eyes off the familiar sprite who had nursed him back to health. The hollow tree burrow surrounding them was cozy and intimate, and the various other plants around indicated that this was where the sprite made her home.

"Persephone?" Hades asked as he looked over the sprite.

"Yes," she nodded as she fussed over a berry bush. "Have we met before?"

"You mean ya don't remember me?" Hades asked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I don't."

Hades squinted his eyes suspiciously. "Look me dead in the eyes and tell me you don't remember."

Persephone wasn't entirely sure why Hades wanted her to do so, but she turned away from her bush and locked eyes with Hades. Those same vibrant eyes were almost the only thing that linked her to the Persephone Hades had known before. Physically, the two looked very little alike, but the eyes and their vibrancy made the connection unmistakable.

"I don't remember you," Persephone said honestly. "I don't remember anything from before I was reborn this way."

"Then how do you know you _were_ reborn?" Hades asked.

"I remember _that_ I had a life before I became this way," Persephone explained, "but all I remember from it was that my name was Persephone. Were we close in my other life?"

"Somethin' like that," Hades answered.

"How did we know each other?" Persephone asked eagerly.

"We were... ehhhh, _together_... once," Hades answered. "Didn't last."

"Oh, well alright then," Persephone said as she turned away from Hades to hide her blushing. "I suppose I should know your name if you and I were once... _together_."

"It's Hades," he answered as he summoned a dagger behind his back.

He knew what he had to do. It wasn't going to be pretty work, but it needed to be done. Another Olympian running amok, even an unwitting one, was a threat to his rule over Olympus. The fact that she'd poured so much of her being into creating this world meant that she wouldn't have that pesky immortality. A dagger forged in the Underworld would be enough to reap her soul.

"What... what happened between us?" Persephone asked.

She never bothered to turn to face Hades. She just kept on tending to her bush, an obvious nervous twitch. That was good. It made it easy for him to stalk closer to her with the knife.

"Well, your mother wasn't exactly sweet on me," Hades said. "Plus I wouldn't go vegan, and that was apparently a deal breaker."

"Do you know how I ended up like this?" Persephone asked.

"Yep, was there to see it," Hades said.

"What happened?" she inquired, still never bothering to turn around.

Instead of answering, Hades raised the dagger up high above his head. One quick slash would end it, and Hades was ready for it... Any second now... any second....

"Hades?" Persephone asked when he gave her no reply.

Hades wanted to bring his arm down and to strike her dead, but something inside of him was holding him back. Anger, hatred, pity, remorse, confusion, and self-preservation were all jumbled up in his heart. Something inside of him wanted Persephone to live even though all logic screamed that she needed to die. The Lord of the Dead didn't know what to do.

Hades blinked and the world around him disappeared, leaving him in an all black room seemingly alone with his thoughts. A jazzy tune befitting of the Muses began to play, and Hades looked around to find out if this was their idea of a funny joke. However, much to Hades's surprise, it wasn't the Muses he found there....

" _Gotta think quick,_ " Clotho sang as she latched onto Hades's left shoulder.

" _Gotta save face,_ " Lachesis added as she latched onto his right.

" _Caught 'tween a rock and a hard place_ ," Atropos taunted as she came into view.

" _Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do,_ " the Three Fates taunted as they danced in a circle around Hades. " _Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do now?_ "

" _If you kill her nowwwww,_ " Clotho belted as she placed the shared eyeball in her socket

" _Oh, you're a heartless man!_ " Lachesis and Atropos shouted.

" _And you're gonna have her blood all on your hands,_ " all three sang together.

Hades hated to think about that. After all, though the flame had gone out, he had loved her once. At least the first time, it had been her own choice to sacrifice her life. This time, it was cold blooded murder. He might've been able to kill the other Olympians, but they'd wronged him in inexcusable ways. Persephone, for all her faults, had always treated him with grace and kindness, and, in fact, she'd just saved his life. She didn't deserve his wrath even though Hades wanted so badly to say that she did.

" _If you let her goooooooo,_ " Lachesis sang as she ripped the eyeball from Clotho and placed it in her own socket.

" _Oh, you're a spineless king!_ " Clotho and Atropos taunted.

" _And your friends are gonna think you've gone soft again,_ " the three pointed out.

That option wasn't appealing either. Hades knew the Overtakers wouldn't understand letting her live, and if Maleficent found out he'd done so out of lingering feelings for Persephone, she'd kick him to the curb. She had one important rule above all others: he must never give his heart to another. Sparing Persephone would break that rule, and Hades couldn't bear the thought of losing what he had with Maleficent.

" _Damned if you don't; damned if you do,_ " the Fates sang, taking great pleasure in Hades's confusion. " _Whole damn nation's watching you!_ "

" _Whatcha gonna do?_ " Clotho asked directly into his left ear.

" _Whatcha gonna do?_ " Lachesis asked into his right.

" _Whatcha gonna do?_ " Atropos asked directly to his face.

" _Whatcha gonna do now?_ " the Fates all asked together as he turned away from them.

"YOU THREE AREN'T THE MUSES, SO CUT IT OUT!" Hades shouted angrily as his flames flared up red.

" _Here's a little tip,_ " Atropos sang softly, prompting Hades to turn to face them again.

" _Word to the wise,_ " Clotho and Lachesis sang.

" _Here's a little snippet of advice,_ " Atropos continued.

" _You have lost!_ " Clotho cackled.

" _You have failed!_ " Lachesis added.

Hades could feel something wrap around his neck, and he saw it was a glowing blue thread of life. When he looked up, he saw it suspended from some ceiling far off in a shadowy abyss.

" _You made the rope!_ " the Fates sang wickedly. " _Now you'll hang yourself!_ "

The Fates vanished, as did the floor below Hades. Their ominous words echoed in his ears as he fell. He felt the noose tighten and then...

His vision snapped back to reality. There was no noose. He was still standing over Persephone with the knife held high. She still had her back turned, none the wiser. Hades let out a deep sigh when he realized he knew the answer. The Fates were right. He'd lost. He'd failed. If he was going to kill her, he'd have done it already. He'd made this noose for himself, not for her.

"Hades?" Persephone asked as she turned around.

Yet Hades was nowhere to be found.


	24. Triple Threat

Thanks to its sturdy and well armed fort, Port Royal was capable of repelling pirate attacks... under _normal_ circumstances. The circumstances facing Port Royal this evening, however, were anything but normal. A single pirate ship was one thing. The entire Brethren Fleet was another matter entirely. Led by the Jolly Roger at the forefront, the pirate ships rained down a barrage of cannon fire on the port town, leaving fire and destruction in their wake.

Pirates ran through the streets, pillaging, killing, and burning to their black hearts' content. Jafar and Cruella stood off to the side observing the chaos.

"Oh how I miss having the chance to kill as they do," Cruella lamented. "And I can see from the look on your face that _you_ miss it too."

"There are things _far_ worse than death," Jafar responded, reassuring himself as much as Cruella. "These rats are crude instruments."

To punctuate his meaning, Jafar raised his staff high and transfigured all of the nearby pirates into literal rats.

"Darling, you do realized that you've encumbered _our_ lackeys," Cruella pointed out.

"I've merely given them a new shape," Jafar assured her, "one in which I've also infected with a terrible plague. Quite harmless to the rodents, but to an ordinary human... Hmph, well, I think you know what to do."

Cruella did indeed. She grinned wickedly before turning back to the swarm of rats and breathing green magic all over them, bringing the rats under her control.

"Go find as many villagers as you can," Cruella ordered. "And give them a big, wet, sloppy kiss from Auntie Cruella!"

Jafar and Cruella cackled wickedly as the swarm of rats went about their business of spreading the gruesome plague throughout the town.

Up at the waterfall just outside of town, Demyx leaned against the bridge, playing a haunting melody on his sitar to beckon forth his water clones. Any of the civilians who thought that they would be safe away from the town proper quickly found that they were mistaken. Water forms chased them down and washed them back toward the carnage. Hans passed by a screaming villager sliding down the trail on a wave of water and nodded without batting an eyelash at the sight.

"Wait... you're actually not slacking off?" Hans asked with surprise when he saw Demyx. "When I lost you in the chaos, I assumed you went to go take a nap somewhere."

Demyx scoffed. "Hey, I am extremely imposing... when I want to be."

"Which is almost never," Hans pointed out.

"True," Demyx relented with a shrug. "What are _you_ doing out this way?"

"I had heard the blacksmith's shop was down this path," Hans answered. "I had thought to outfit our crew with new weapons."

Demyx looked Hans directly in the eye and raised an eyebrow. Hans looked back, flashing an awkward smile at Demyx.

"You broke your sword again, didn't you?" Demyx asked.

Hans slumped. "Yes."

Davy Jones was locked in a sword duel with three red coats up near the fort. A trail of fallen and bloodied soldiers loomed behind him. Though he loathed how Hook had denied him vengeance on Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann, Jones did take a small victory in getting to cut down the soldiers of the empire that enslaved him before. It was a small victory, but at this point, he would take what he could get. Jones sliced the throat of one of the soldiers with his blade whilst kicking the second to the ground. He spun around and plunged his blade into the fallen red coat's chest.

However, as he concerned himself with twisting the blade in the soldier's heart, the third soldier brandished his musket and aimed for Jones. But before the soldier could fire, a bolt of lightning crashed down from above and struck the soldier dead. Jones looked down at the charred remains of the red coat and then up above at the source of the bolt.

"Thou art welcome!" Winnie called down from atop her broomstick.

As he ascended the stairs towards the rampart, Hook impaled the soldier rushing towards him and flung his body down the stairs behind him. The last remaining soldier in the fort saw Hook approaching. He was all out of ammunition, so he attempted to use his bayonet as a spear to stab the pirate king in the heart. Hook, however, snagged the rifle with his hook and wrestled it out of the lone soldier's grasp. Hook then closed the gap between himself and the red coat and sunk his hook into the soldier's neck.

As he tossed the soldier's corpse over the edge of the rampart, Hook looked out at the fire and chaos in the town below him. He let out a sigh of pleasure as he admired his handiwork. He was the Pirate King, and he'd razed an entire city with the power he now wielded. It was as dark a deed as any. Cries of death and destruction echoed through the air, and as Hook removed the Blackguard Talisman from his satchel, he saw that it was glowing purple. Hook grinned at the sight. Exactly as planned.

Hook clutched the talisman and held it up above his head. The talisman sparked with violet lightning and swirls of black smoke encircled him as the physical talisman vanished from Hook's hand. His body began to glow purple as if he'd just been made into a living black-light, but the light quickly faded away, leaving Hook feeling powerful and energized like never before.

Hook chuckled to himself. "Oh this is bloody brilliant!"

Hook glanced up at the Union Jack flying high over the fort. He scowled to himself and gestured out to it, willing his new unholy powers to take effect. Right before his eyes, the flag began to rot and decay rapidly until it turned to nothing but dust and stray threads. With a devilish smirk, Hook produced another scrap of fabric from his satchel and strung it up the mast. Once the new flag reached the top and began to flap in the wind, Hook put a single boot up on the the stone wall as he looked out at the sea.

"A world that's prime and mine to take," Hook said with a contented sigh. "It's all I've ever wanted."

As the wind tussled Hook's hair, the skull and crossbones waved dramatically behind him against the night sky.

* * *

Maleficent briskly and urgently stole down the corridor towards Grimhilde's chambers. The queen had sent a raven to inform Maleficent that she'd finally located Hades in her Magic Mirror. Maleficent didn't want to admit that she was worried about her partner, but the worry gurgled inside of her despite herself. However, before Maleficent could reach her destination, Loki stepped out into her path.

"A moment, mistress," Loki requested.

Maleficent halted her progress and turned to face her friend. "Very well, but only just. Hades has been located, and I need to track him down as soon as possible."

"I have been patient up to a point," Loki said, cutting to the chase. "But with the fall of Agrabah and Atlantica, I am left wondering when it shall be my time to obtain my vengeance and bring about the fall of Asgard."

"Can this not wait?" Maleficent asked. "Asgard will fall. Of that you may have no fear."

"I have waited longer than you could ever know," Loki said, putting out his arm to block Maleficent's progress. "I am beginning to grow concerned that you have not taken _my_ ambitions as seriously as several of your other Overtakers."

"How many times have you sat the throne of Asgard?" Maleficent asked. "Four? Five? Yet they all end the same, do they not? If you want your power and your vengeance permanently, then we must proceed with the utmost care. Odin is a threat to us all, and he is not an opponent I take lightly. I swear to you that he will fall, but we must fulfill the prophecy first. Then your reign over Asgard will be eternal."

"And am I to sit and wait whilst all our allies obtain vengeance but me?" Loki asked.

"I waited sixteen years to curse Aurora," Maleficent said as she brushed Loki's arm aside. "You can wait one for Asgard. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Maleficent proceeded down the hall, leaving Loki alone.

"My revenge on Odin is delayed further," Loki mused to himself. "Then again, Odin is not the only fool who has earned Loki's wrath...."

* * *

Arthur Watts deployed the switch-blade tip of the black umbrella, and Penguin grinned at the design for his new toy.

"Now this is quite an exquisite weapon, doctor," Penguin remarked as he admired the craftsmanship.

"The bladed tip is the least of the included features," Watts explained as he pressed the button on the handle to open the umbrella. "The umbrella itself is made of a sturdy bulletproof fabric, making it useful as a shield, yet it's also aerodynamic enough to function as a parachute should you happen to fall from a dangerous height."

"Brilliant!" Penguin declared.

Watts closed the umbrella and twisted the handle. "The bladed tip is hardly the only weaponry feature. When switched to ranged mode, it can also function as a gun. You can load it with whatever ammunition you prefer: bullets, various types of dust, or a combination of both. The one snag is that I had to limit the chamber to five rounds in order to keep the handle light enough. However, the chambers are designed to be easily swapped out mid-combat to accommodate for that design flaw."

"It is perfect," Penguin remarked as he took the umbrella into his hands. "You have truly outdone yourself with this fine umbrella. I thiiiiink I shall call it..." He pondered a moment before grinning at the idea that struck him. "Galavan's Gag!"

Watts cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not certain I _want_ to know the story behind that."

"And what of this one?" Riddler asked as he held up the golden question mark shaped cane that was obviously made for him.

"Based heavily on my designs for my own rings," Watts explained. "The staff is capable of hacking into any piece of computerized technology and taking control, so long as you're within range, making it ideal for remote detonation of various devices. The metal is sturdy and good for fencing. The tip is obviously bladed, and it can be energized with electricity, making it capable of short-range electrical discharge."

"This'll certainly come in handy," Riddler remarked as he posed leaning on it. "Makes me look debonair too."

"That it certainly does," Penguin agreed emphatically.

As Penguin and Riddler admired their new weapons, Hugo Strange entered from the main laboratory space.

"Well, doctor, I've perused your lab, and I believe it will prove satisfactory," Strange said. "Though we'll certainly be needing to come to some arrangement regarding the lunatic in the goblin armor."

"Given that _I_ work in robotics and _you_ in genetic manipulation with the Goblin, that sounds like a problem for you to resolve on your own," Watts replied. "And I do believe my charity quotient for Gotham supervillains has been filled for the day."

"Surely you can't expect me to contend with him by myself," Strange argued. "He's quite clearly _insane_."

"Why don't you just administer him therapy, professor?" Penguin snapped. "Painful, excruciating, probably illegal therapy. After all, you seemed to like doing it to _me_."

"The former head of Arkham Asylum is afraid of one unstable lunatic," Riddler pointed out. "I'm not rain on your wedding day or a free ride when you've already paid, but I am what happens if you try to claim that's my identity. What am I?"

"Irony," Watts answered. "Is he always like this?"

"Often given, sometimes chosen, it belongs to me, but other people use it more than I do. What is it?" Riddler offered in response.

"Your name," Watts said. "But I'm not certain what that has to do with-"

"Hello, his name is the _Riddler_ ," Penguin pointed out.

"Right, of course, what a... _clever_ nickname," Watts remarked. "I shall file it next to Captain Hook and Scar. At any rate, I do have more important things to do. If you'll excuse me...."

As Watts left the room, Strange followed after him, hoping to find some method of cleansing the genetic engineering lab of its current goblin infestation. Penguin and Riddler remained behind in the weapons testing facility.

"Well, Oswald, we have a whole universe to test these bad boys on," Riddler pointed out as he held up his cane. "Any ideas?"

"We have one," a growling voice chimed in.

Penguin and Riddler looked around for the source of the voice, but they saw no one. It was only after a bead of saliva dripped onto Penguin's lapel that either of them thought to look up. When they saw Venom clinging to the ceiling above them, Penguin and Riddler screamed and hugged each other tight. Venom could only laugh at that reaction.

"Oh this _is_ fun," Venom declared. "Okay, Kieran, we forgive you for our first encounter."

"Told you so," Kieran said as he walked into the room wearing his Ghostface costume sans the mask.

Penguin sputtered angrily. "KIERAN WILCOX, I WILL BE HAVING WORDS WITH YOUR MOTHER FOR THIS!"

"Just a little friendly traumatic experience between brothers," Kieran assured him.

"I _killed_ my last brother and fed him to my stepmother _in a pie_ ," Penguin replied

"Don't be like that," Venom said as he leaped down to stand next to Kieran. "We were serious before about having an idea for where you can test your new weapons. Ursula gave us a task, and a few more hands on deck should make things run a lot fucking smoother."

Kieran grinned wickedly. "It'd be a real _scream_ getting to work with you guys."

"And what's in it for us?" Riddler asked.

Venom grinned, baring his fangs. "A good time."

* * *

Hades slouched in his throne as he swirled around the glass of bourbon in his hands. Normally, the Lord of the Dead opted for a fancier drink, but today was a "drown your sorrows in bourbon" kind of day for him. Bourbon was a byproduct of corn, so Hades figured in some twisted way, it was Demeter's way of making it up to him for the distress her daughter had caused him... Not that Demeter herself was still alive, mind you. She had the good sense to die and stay dead. Good sense that Persephone didn't inherit.

A Corridor of Darkness opened in the center of the throne room, and Maleficent, Russell, and Grimhilde emerged from the darkness.

"Welcome to the party, babes," Hades said. "Would'a cleaned up, but I was busy havin' no idea you were droppin' in."

"What is the meaning of this?" Maleficent asked.

"Yeah, where the fuck have you been?" Russell asked. "I practically tore apart what was left of that forest lookin' for you!"

Hades took another sip of bourbon and smacked his lips. "With Persephone."

" _What?_ " Russell asked.

"Persephone is _dead_ ," Maleficent said suspiciously. "You and I both saw her sacrifice her life to create that world."

"We sure did," Hades said as he attempted to take a swig from his empty glass. "Guess death is as cheap as I am."

"You're being deliberately vague and unhelpful," Grimhilde spoke up, crossing her arms.

"What can I say?" Hades asked as he summoned up a new glass of bourbon. "She's alive. Wish she wasn't. Ran into her. Had a little chin-wag. What else is there to say?"

Maleficent's eyelids narrowed. "And what became of her?"

"Didn't kill her if that's what you're askin'," Hades answered.

"Now you _know_ that's a fuckin' bad move," Russell said. "An Olympian is still alive? That's bad for _all_ of us."

"This from the man who didn't even kill the son of a Pasiphaë who killed _him_ ," Hades retaliated.

"Oh we're goin' _there_ now, are we?" Russell asked. "Unlike Northman, I'm not some myopic blood grudge holdin' bastard who can't think of anything else. I've been busy actually _buildin'_ somethin' here."

"Face it, Rus, you're just as big of a loser as me," Hades said as he downed the rest of his second glass of bourbon. "The _Losertakers_ , heh?"

"Ignore him; he's obviously quite inebriated," Grimhilde cautioned as she clasped Russell on the shoulder.

"No, no, he's right," Russell said with a sneer. "I might as well go put my money where my mouth is. Never let it be said that Russell Edgington won't kill his enemies."

Russell stormed out through the Corridor of Darkness, leaving Maleficent and Grimhilde alone with Hades.

"What are you two lookin' at? I think those sweet little princesses you're after are that-a-ways," Hades said with a scoff as he gestured towards the Corridor of Darkness.

Grimhilde rolled her eyes before turning to Maleficent. "I shall grant you two a moment alone."

Grimhilde turned around and followed Russell out through the portal. Maleficent remained and simply glared at Hades.

"You waitin' for me to start tap dancin'?" Hades asked.

Maleficent said nothing yet her eyes never wavered from staring Hades down.

"Right, sure, yeah, paint a vase, it'll last longer," Hades advised.

Maleficent still said nothing, her eyes unblinking.

"A stare off, eh?" Hades asked. "Well you can stare all ya want; I'm not gonna take the bait."

Maleficent's lip curled up ever so slightly.

"I can keep this up as long as you can," Hades declared.

Silence.

"I mean it!" Hades shouted.

Maleficent's eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

"Alright, alright, alright, geez, fine, okay, you win!" Hades said, putting up his hands to block out Maleficent's glare. "I couldn't do it, ALRIGHT? I froze up! I still got a place for that little flower brat in my heart, and I just, I dunno, I couldn't stab her! That's me: the big flamin' softie! Alright? Is that what you wanted me to say?"

"And you sit here feeling sorry for yourself?" Maleficent asked.

"Yeah, like I'm not entitled to a bit of that," Hades sneered.

"You had a task to complete," Maleficent chastised. "Yet not only did you fail and leave a dangerous rival in play, you sit here indulging in self-pity rather than rectifying that failure. Where is the Lord of the Dead who I fell in love with?"

"Not here, but I will happily take a message for him after the beep," Hades quipped.

"Do you think me amused?" Maleficent asked.

Hades shrugged. "It wasn't my best, but, hey, I think-"

"Enough," Maleficent ordered. "I will indulge this no longer. If you require sabbatical to collect yourself, I shall grant it to you. But I _will_ expect you to return to the Overtakers and complete your tasks as soon as possible."

Maleficent turned around and proceeded towards her portal.

"What? Not gonna tear me a new one for still havin' feelings for her?" Hades asked.

"Do you truly believe that with my own past with Yen Sid that I would not understand?" Maleficent asked. "Now collect yourself and return to work once you have done so."

With that said, Maleficent vanished into the Corridor of Darkness, leaving Hades alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Hook strutted confidently down the halls of the Eminence Palace, his powers now awakened at last. He was Pirate King and a true Blackguard all in one swoop, granting him the power and the prestige to truly hold his own as a leader in the Overtakers. All in all, it had been quite a successful weekend for Hook.

"A true Blackguard walks among our ranks," Loki remarked from his spot leaning against the wall as Hook walked past.

"If you've come to taunt me and my lack of a place amongst our Inner Circle again, you can save your breath," Hook replied as he stopped in his tracks. "The wind has turned favorable for me. I'm replete. Not even your poisonous words can sting me."

"You mistake me, captain," Loki said. "I am not here to insult you. In fact, I must admit myself impressed by your ascension. You truly are worthy of your own influence now."

"I thank you for your kind words," Hook said. "But I also know you well enough to know that you wouldn't have said any of them if you did not desire something from me."

"True enough, but that does not a falsehood make," Loki replied with a laugh. "I know quite well that you seek your revenge upon the Savior and the former Dark One. Quite a feat indeed. But perhaps a test of your new abilities is in order."

"You have something in mind I take it?" Hook asked.

"I cannot cross Asgard as of yet," Loki lamented. "My vengeance must remain unsated for the time being. However, I do have other scores to settle, and the power of a Blackguard would prove most useful. Perhaps you and I can set off on a quest of vengeance culminating in the fall of Storybrooke. What say you to that?"

Before Hook could answer, another Overtaker entered the hallway.

"Well, thank you for askin', I'd love to come along," Russell declared. "A vengeance road quest with Pirate-God sounds positively delightful."

"Why the bloody Hell are we _Pirate-God?_ " Hook asked.

"More to the point, I assume you're not simply along for the ride," Loki said, crossing his arms. "What detour will we be adding to our quest for vengeance?"

"A little stop by Bon Temps to deal with a certain problem I've left unattended for too long now," Russell explained. "There's a lump of muscle with a blood grudge who I need to show the True Death, and I've got somethin' to prove to Hades."

"Further delays for my vengeance," Hook groaned.

"Which will make it all the sweeter," Loki assured him. "Very well, Russell, the three of us shall embark upon this journey together."

"Wonderful!" Russell laughed. "Why the three of us are practically a triple threat."

"Triple Threat, eh?" Hook asked. "Why I quite like the sound of that."

Loki twirled his cape dramatically and summoned up a Corridor of Darkness.

"Then it is time for the Triple Threat to gain a Triple _Vengeance!_ "


	25. I Feel Like a Monster

"Loki, where the bloody Hell are we?" Hook asked as he took stock of his surroundings.

"I thought you said our first act of vengeance was against an Asgardian," Russell remarked with a sneer.

It was as if they were standing on an asteroid hurtling through space with a clear view of the stars and dark abyss surrounding them. To say it was a far cry from the location Loki had advertised was an understatement.

"A slight detour," Loki assured his companions. "There is a little piece of the puzzle that I wish to preemptively place before we proceed further."

"That doesn't answer my question," Hook snapped.

"Chitauri One," Loki replied. "The home world of the Chitauri. Or, at the very least, an asteroid belt nearby designated for negotiations."

"What's a Chitauri?" Russell asked. "Sounds like a Mediterranean side dish."

"A brutal, savage, and warlike race," Loki explained. "Sometimes they do the bidding of Thanos. Other times they hold gladiatorial combat by abducting individuals from across the universe and forcing them to fight for sport."

"They sound crude," Hook remarked.

"Indeed they are, but they've a glimmer of potential when put into the service of my vision and brain," Loki replied before turning his attention towards the staircase and calling out to it. "I am Loki of the Overtakers, and I have come to negotiate with the Other!"

A figure stepped out of the shadows, wrapped in black and blue robes. His eyes were covered by a blindfold, and his mouth was caged. He appeared humanoid, yet beyond the cage was an inhuman mouth with wrinkled gray skin and his hands both had an extra thumb. He was the Other, the leader of the Chitauri.

"What brings you here?" the Other growled.

"I require an army," Loki said as he approached the Other. "The strength and fearlessness of the Chitauri is known throughout the universe. I seek their aid in destroying a meddlesome race of fools!"

"The Chitauri are no mere sell-swords!" the Other sneered, obviously offended by Loki's request. "Least of which to the likes of _you_."

"This is goin' _real_ well," Russell whispered to Hook.

"Oh but you have yet to even hear my offer," Loki cooed. "For you see, the target I have in mind is a world once protected by an almighty warrior worthy to wield the enchanted hammer of the gods known as Stormbreaker. Yet such a base society rejected his protection and stripped him of hammer. Now it lies unclaimed with all its godly power in tact. Such a hammer could allow your Chitauri to rule the entire universe! I leave it for you to claim once the task is complete."

The Other seemed wary of this offer, but he was clearly intrigued. "If the hammer is as powerful as you claim, then why not take it for yourself?"

"Had I the strength to claim the hammer, I would not need your Chitauri to destroy my enemies," Loki answered. "As it stands, I've little interest in ruling the cosmos. I simply wish for my enemies to be destroyed. You cannot tell me you are not intrigued by so rare a find. But you need not take my word for it. Send an advanced scouting party to New Korbin, and you will find the situation exactly as I have described."

"Very well," the Other said. "We shall scout ahead. If you have indeed spoken truthfully, we shall invade this... New Korbin. But if you speak naught but lies, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where we cannot find you! You think you know pain? We will make you long for something as sweet as pain!"

"Understood," Loki said with a dramatic bow as he turned to take his leave.

Hook and Russell flanked Loki to either side as they proceeded back towards the Corridor of Darkness.

"I think I see clearly now," Hook whispered. "You desire this Stormbreaker for yourself to stand against Thor's hammer."

Loki smirked. "My dear Hook, I'm afraid you do _not_ yet see the full picture of my designs. Stormbreaker is of very little use to me. Like Mjolnir, it has a certain particularity regarding those capable of lifting it. My heart is far too black to wield such a weapon."

"Then what the fuck does New Korbin have to do with anything?" Russell asked.

"It is merely the stage," Loki answered. "And I have further preparations to make before the curtain can be drawn."

* * *

Penguin, Riddler, Venom, and Kieran all gathered out at the wharf next to the bridge into the city. Right under the bridge was a trashy little bar called The Faux Ghost with a neon sign that alternated between faces of a monster being unmasked.

"Ugh, it smells like fish out here," Penguin said, scrunching up his nose.

"It does not smell like Fish," Kieran argued. "Her perfume is way too expensive for this place. Smells more like an unwashed-"

"Okay, we're gonna stop that sentence right there," Venom interrupted. "For a place called Coolsville, I was expecting something more insipid."

"Every city has its rats," Riddler remarked. "You just have to know where to look for them. I've been to plenty of shady spots back in Gotham. Trust me. This is where the scum of Coolsville congregates."

Penguin groaned. "Remind me again why we're even here? I thought Ursula wanted some magical whatever, not something from a cheap bar."

"Ursula wants the Altar of the Cat God," Venom explained, "an artifact lost to time. This world has a particular notoriety for criminals masquerading as the supernatural to hide their theft and smuggling operations. Some have even come into contact with real magic. If anyone's heard anything about the prize we seek, they'll be here."

"I haven't been to a club since the Iceberg Lounge," Kieran remarked.

"Do _not_ compare my fine establishment to this dump," Penguin snapped.

"Loud music in there," Venom said. "Better tuck into the shell now before we head in."

And so Venom did so, melting into the sea shell necklace and turning it solid black, and only Sid remained in his place.

"What can fly without wings, is harmless but can kill you, and can be wasted without ever doing anything with it?" Riddler asked.

"Time," Kieran answered.

"Exactly, and ours is being wasted," Riddler said. "Let's head on in."

While Sid had tucked away his mask, Kieran on the other hand opted to slip his on as they entered the bar. Given the bar's patronage, this was just about the only establishment where Kieran could come in dressed in what he considered to be his true face. As the four Overtakers entered the smoky room, the cover band was playing a song about fantasizing about being someone else and bemoaning the real world for the constant reality check.

"Split up, we'll cover more ground," Riddler suggested.

Penguin hobbled over towards a table with four gentlemen who appeared to be in the middle of a blackjack game. The first of them was a chubby cigar smoking man wearing a black beanie cap and red sleeveless shirt that exposed a pirate flag tattoo on his shoulder. The second man wore glasses and had slicked back gray hair and a matching beard. He was dressed in a three piece suit that was probably once quite expensive but had seen considerable wear and tear over the years. The third man Penguin had initially mistaken for a woman considering his witch hat, green glittery eye-shadow, purple acryllic nails, and feminine black vest. However closer inspection revealed masculine angular features and a deep manly southern accent. The fourth man was both the tallest and most boisterous of the lot, wearing a glittering red jacket with a black Dracula t-shirt underneath.

"Hello gentlemen," Penguin said with a grin. "And how are we this fine evening."

The first man looked up at Penguin angrily for disturbing their game, but his eyes quickly widened and his expression softened when he realized who was standing in front of him.

"Fellas, you know who this is?" the first man asked. "It's Oswald Cobblepot! Y'know, the Penguin! One o' Batman's villains! I almost didn't recognize ya there with the weight ya lost."

Penguin was rather taken about by this recognition. He had never met this man before in his life nor had he lost any weight recently, and he certainly had no idea who "Batman" was. Penguin figured he was better off not knowing. Still, the fact that there was apparently a notorious version of himself on this world made the task of throwing his weight around a much more direct endeavor.

"Indeed I am," Penguin nodded. "Though you have me at a disadvantage. I don't know who any of you fine men are."

"C.L. Magnus," the first man replied. "I was Redbeard's Ghost."

"Stuart Wetherby," the gray haired man said. "The Phantom of Elias Kingston."

"Zeb Perkins," the man in the witch hat said. "The Witch of the Swamp."

"And I am Big Bob Oakly!" the final man introduced himself. "You can just call me The Actor! Count Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, a gypsy fortune teller, I've done it all! And let me tell ya the quick changes I had to do for those roles? I should'a been nominated for somethin'!"

"Quite a gaggle of ghosts!" Penguin said. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"We'd be honored, Mr. Penguin," Zeb said, gesturing to the chair next to him.

"I must admit I'm not merely here on a social visit," Penguin said as he took a seat. "I am actually looking for a special _haunted_ artifact known as the Altar of the Cat God. Have any of you happened to have heard about it?"

The four faux ghosts looked back and forth at each other and shook their heads.

"I'm afraid not," Big Bob admitted. "But rest assured, we'll keep an ear out for you."

Penguin loathed that he'd hit a dead end, but he didn't allow that to deter him. All four of the men at the table with him were villains with panache, and where there were fellow villains, there was money to be made.

Kieran, meanwhile, stalked the upper floor of the bar, his cloak swishing behind him. He kept his eyes peeled for anyone who looked knowledgable on the occult, but most of the patrons on the second floor seemed to just be drunk bar flies and jerks with too much hair-dye.

"Ugh," one of the younger punks said to his buddy once Kieran walked by. "Can't any of these wannabes get an original ghost design? That's like the most generic ghost costume I've seen since the Phantom of Vasquez Castle!"

"Dude, don't diss the Phantom like that," the buddy replied. "He's the classic design. That dude's just dressed like he's a kid out for Halloween."

Fish Mooney would have told Kieran that it wasn't worth it or that he was here for information not to pick a fight. But, unfortunately, Fish Mooney wasn't there. Kieran turned around to face the punks, and with two swift swipes of his knife, he slit both of their throats. Everyone else was too wrapped up in their own partying to notice as Kieran dumped both of the corpses down the nearby garbage chute. And as inadvisable as it was, it felt oh so very good.

Riddler pulled up a seat at the bar next to an old balding gentleman in a green suit. The old man looked him up and down and sneered.

"I know you," the old man said. "You're that Riddler villain from Gotham City."

Riddler was taken aback by being recognized, but he kept his composure. "Good to see this place hasn't forgotten the infamy of the Riddler. And you are?"

"Cosgood Creeps," he answered. "I was the Phantom Shadow alongside my associate Mr. Crawls."

" _Creeps_ and _Crawls_?" Riddler asked. "Even I think that's a bit on the nose, and I go by _Riddler_."

"Have your laugh," Creeps said with a scoff. "It matters very little to me."

"Actually, perhaps you can help me solve a rather elusive riddle," Riddler said with a grin. "Bartender! Another round for this gentleman, on me!"

Creeps smirked. "Alright. I'll play your game. Ask what you will."

"What I'm after is an allegedly supernatural artifact lost over the years," Riddler continued. "It's an altar to a pagan cat god that is said to possess legendary powers!"

Creeps simply laughed. "Get involved in matters of magic, and you'll soon wish you hadn't."

"Let me worry about that, Creepy," Riddler said. "You know anything?"

"Unfortunately, no," Creeps answered. "However, my former employer, Colonel Beauregard Sanders had a certain... _fascination_ with the supernatural and the haunted. He collected a great many journals and books on the matter."

"And I'm guessing you know where his collection is," Riddler said, his grin widening.

"Indeed I do," Creeps said. "But that information does not come free."

"If you know who I am, you know I could just torture the information out of you," Riddler pointed out. "And I'd have _fun_ doing it!"

"Fair point," Creeps admitted. "But five-hundred dollars would save you both time and effort."

Riddler squinted his eyes. "How about I give you a hundred plus the cost of another drink, and I _don't_ kill you after I get my information like I was planning to."

Creeps's face blanched. "Very well. Deal."

Riddler paid the man and ordered him another drink. "Alright Creepy, start talking."

"Colonel Sanders's personal belongings remained in his old family mansion after his passing," Creeps explained. "No one dared to return to his mansion after the Phantom Shadow scared them all away."

"Your handiwork, I take it?" Riddler asked.

"Quite so," Creeps answered with a laugh. "The mansion is located on a small island a short way off the coast. I'll write down the coordinates for you."

"Much obliged," Riddler said as Creeps wrote the coordinates down on a cocktail napkin.

Kieran, Penguin, and Riddler regrouped off to the side. Both Penguin and Riddler were looking altogether too pleased with themselves, which led Kieran to believe that their search had been far more successful than his own side detour.

"You guys find anything?" Kieran asked.

"Not on our missing artifact, but I _did_ manage to establish a criminal network under my control amongst those fine gentlemen over there," Penguin said. "They have flair, and, more importantly, smuggling connections that'll make me rich... Oh, and maybe find us the altar, of course."

"Well I, on the other hand, managed to find a potential lead," Riddler explained. "It's a long shot, but I have the coordinates for an old mansion owned by an eccentric millionaire with a fascination for the supernatural. Could be worth checking out what he's got."

"It's not much, but it'll be a start," Kieran said with a nod. "Alright, let's grab Sid and go check it out."

Penguin looked around the room. "Umm... where _is_ Sid?"

A loud guitar riff and a change in lighting drew the entire club's attention towards the stage area. The three Overtakers let out a collective groan when they saw Sid up on stage with an electric guitar in hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and ghouls!" Sid called out. "It's time to turn this party up loud enough to wake the _dead!_ "

The crowd cheered as the guitar cranked back up, and Sid began to belt out a hard rock song about feeling like a monster. Naturally, this particular crowd could relate quite a bit to such a song, and pretty soon half of the bar was on the dance floor head-banging and dancing to the beat.

"What the _Hell_ is he doing?" Penguin asked, utterly flabbergasted by this turn of events.

Kieran just shrugged. "It's kinda the Overtaker way, to be honest."

Kieran ran out onto the dance floor to join the crowd, leaving Penguin and Riddler utterly confused at this turn of events. After a moment, however, they found themselves starting to get into the song. They exchanged a glance and shrugged. Riddler and Penguin joined hands and ran out onto the dance floor to join the party themselves.

After all, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

* * *

Ursula lounged in the hot tub out at the pool deck of the Eminence Palace. The pool deck was outdoors behind the castle with tall stone walls keeping it locked away from prying eyes. The perpetual night sky above the Overtaken Kingdom made it so that the entire area was illuminated by a combination of Tiki-torches lit with Hades's blue fires and the blue underwater lights that lit the pool and the hot tub. As such, everything out at the pool took on a blue tint. Ursula enjoyed the atmosphere considerably as a sort of Atlantica away from Atlantica for her, and the salts and minerals of the spa's waters made life on land more tolerable for the sea witch.

"Mind if I join ya for a spell?" Pete asked as he walked over to the edge of the hot tub in his entirely too small bathing suit. "Ha-HA! SPELL! Geddit? Cuz you're a witch?"

Pete burst out laughing as he sloshed into the tub, causing a considerable amount of water to be displaced over the edge of the tub. Pete glanced at the water displaced by his heavyset form, but he quickly deflected.

"People are always puttin' too much water in these things," Pete grumbled.

"No such thing!" Ursula replied with a chuckle as she reclined back. "Oh this _is_ the life, isn't it?"

"Can't beat it!" Pete agreed.

"I quite concur," Maleficent said as she approached the edge of the hot tub.

It was rare to see Maleficent out of her dress and headdress, yet there she was in a modest black bathing suit with her short black hair exposed for all to see. She slid into the tub, ignoring the shocked expressions on her friends' faces.

"Heat is a powerful thing," Maleficent said as she ran her hand across the surface of the hot water. "It can heal as well as burn. It can give life and snatch it away just as quickly."

"Yeah... I mean, the hot tub sure feels good," Pete said with uncertainty, causing Ursula to roll her eyes.

"Things didn't go well with Hades, I take it?" Ursula asked, picking up Maleficent's meaning.

Maleficent scowled. "He is defeated and dejected. It is truly maddening."

"Sorry to hear that, angelfish," Ursula said. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Focus on the tasks at hand," Maleficent answered. "I already have one ally out of commission. I do not need to contend with further distractions."

"Understood," Ursula nodded.

Maleficent, Ursula, and Pete sunk into a comfortable silence as they all took to enjoying the relaxation of the hot tub. After a few moments of quiet, a caw from up above drew Pete and Ursula's attention upwards. Maleficent lifted her hand from underwater and held it up without bothering to open her eyes. Diablo landed there and let out a series of caws once he did. Maleficent's yellow eyes opened quickly and dramatically when she heard what he had to say.

"Are you sure it was them?" Maleficent asked.

Diablo simply nodded in response.

"Alert the others," Maleficent instructed. "Amora's power will be of great use for such a task, and Trakeena has impressive untapped potential as well. Zurg shall have his chance to prove his worth, as will Frollo. Yes. Those four will do nicely. Bring them to me, at once! Now go!"

Diablo cawed in affirmation and took off to gather the Overtakers requested.

"What? What is it?" Pete asked.

"It sounds like a tasty mission on the horizon," Ursula said with a grin. "Whatever it is, I want in!"

"Me too!" Pete quickly agreed.

Maleficent looked between the two and nodded. "Very well then. You shall join me as well."

"What're we joinin' ya for?" Pete asked.

"We shall journey to a place known as Castle Oblivion," Maleficent answered. "Diablo has found _Xemnas_."

* * *

The Corridor of Darkness deposited Loki, Hook, and Russell amidst a bustling city with archaic architecture, lush green grasses, and a general air of grandeur and magic. Russell glanced around, taking in his surroundings thoughtfully.

"We're in Asgard," Russell remarked. "I thought Maleficent told you Asgard was off limits."

"To conquer it or to interfere with Odin," Loki clarified. " _That_ was what our leader forbade. Yet there are many others in this world who have vexed me who are not of the royal bloodline."

"Are we to slay an entire populace of immortals then?" Hook asked.

Loki grinned. "As delightful as that may sound, were I to exact my vengeance upon all who wronged me beyond my family, I would doubtless arouse the suspicions of Odin. No, I had to choose very carefully who was most deserving of my wrath... then again, it was not a choice I had to consider for long."

Loki's hand began to glow green and an image took shape atop his palm. The image was of a woman with raven black hair and the armor of a warrior.

"This is the one I would see slain," Loki explained. "This bewitching creature is the one who stole Thor's heart, the Lady Sif."

"So you seek vengeance upon your brother by striking at the one who holds his heart?" Hook asked.

"That is indeed _part_ of my reasoning," Loki said with a grin. "But Sif is no mere means to an end. She has ever been a source of scorn and hatred, and the wounds inflicted by her sharp tongue cut deeper than even her blade."

"Fair enough," Russell said. "But if she's Thor's woman and one of Odin's warriors, I'm guessin' that takin' her down without the royal family knowin' it's us is gonna be the challenge."

"Quite so," Loki nodded. "However, I have long known of the chink in Sif's armor. Though she may try carrying herself as a hardened warrior with a heart of stone, she has ever been a slave to her emotions and her love. Yet Thor is not the only one who has touched her heart."

Loki produced a letter from his cloak and held it up triumphantly. "An invitation from another whose heart the harlot has stolen. She has ever delighted in toying with men's' hearts. She will not refuse the chance to meet him again."

"You tryin' to frame her lover boy for the crime?" Russell asked.

"Not quite," Loki said as he cast a wave of magic over the three of them, transforming them into non-descript Asgardians. "None would believe him capable of such an act. Now be silent. The glamour magic I've cast over us only hides our physical appearances from onlookers, not our words or actions."

Lady Sif was practicing her combat skills on training dummies by herself just outside of the palace walls. The disguised Loki, Russell, and Hook approached her, looking just like any other palace servants. Though Sif knew many of Odin's servants, she could never possibly memorize them all even if she cared enough to try. Alone without Thor or Balder, she would be particularly vulnerable to the deception

"M'lady!" Loki called out. "I've a letter for you from Beta Ray Bill!"

Sif immediately halted her training and sheathed her sword. "Beta Ray Bill was here?"

"No, m'lady, one of his emissaries," Loki clarified. "The emissary spoke very little regarding the contents of the letter, and it was not my place to pry."

Loki handed the letter to Sif, and she unrolled it eagerly once she got it in her hands. Her brow furrowed as she read over the forged letter, and it was clear that she was feeling many different emotions at once.

"Um... thank you, sir, that'll be all," Sif said, trying to regain composure.

Loki gave a short bow and signaled for Russell and Hook to follow him back away from the palace.

"I'm growing a bit tired of doing nothing but accompanying you as you lay down your puzzle pieces," Hook complained. "When you advertised a chance to test my new powers, I was expecting to shed blood."

"Fear not, Hook," Loki cooed. "Your sword shall run with blood before this night has passed."

* * *

Saïx appeared through a Corridor of Darkness in the small white room. The floral scent that still hung in the air served as a constant reminder of Castle Oblivion's previous occupant. Saïx was far from thrilled to have returned to this castle, but it was the one Organization base that had not yet been polluted by either heroes or Overtakers. Xemnas was standing in the center of the room, staring into the crystal ball without moving or wavering in his concentration. He was lost in thought, which was not unusual. Saïx cleared his throat as he approached his superior.

"The preparations are in place," Saïx reported. "And I can confirm that there was a raven watching us earlier."

"Excellent," Xemnas said as he looked up at Saïx. "The bird shall land on the pearly perch, never seeing that in truth that it has landed within the mouth of a wolf ready to snap its jaws closed upon the little bird. You have done quite well, Saïx, and proven yourself to be my most loyal and trusted ally. Had I the heart to feel such a thing, I would be proud."

"Thank you, my superior," Saïx said as he nodded his head.

"How fares our other ally?" Xemnas asked.

"He's reactivated the castle's powers," Saïx reported. "And I believe he's currently salvaging equipment from the basem-"

" _All_ tasks have been completed to the _utmost_ perfection!" a third voice interrupted as he appeared in the room through a Corridor of Darkness. "And I must say it is exhilarating to be working under the leadership of a castle lord who is _not_ a preening neophyte like Marluxia."

"Indeed," Xemnas replied. "Your return to our side was not one I'd anticipated... Vexen."

Vexen smirked at that. "One eradication at Axel's hands was enough to show me where _not_ to place my trust. The Restoration Committee has long held me back from my research and refused to nurture my talents."

"Such a waste of an incredible mind," Xemnas agreed. "Those with hearts believe in such follies as limitations and restraint. They refuse to allow true intellectual curiosity because they fear that such knowledge will destroy their fragile and limited view of the world."

"My thoughts exactly!" Vexen agreed. "And I do believe you will be most pleased by the results I have to offer you. After all, I'm far more useful than a young lunatic whose only empirical value is to provide you with extra muscle."

Saïx scowled at that but remained silent. It was hardly worth it engaging in a shouting match with Vexen, particularly when Saïx knew how Xemnas truly saw him. Xemnas only favored one subordinate, and that subordinate would never be Vexen.

"Oh, and I think you'll find this most pleasing!" Vexen said as he remembered another detail. "It was a painstaking process, scrounging up the data from basement two, but I was able to put my finest creation back together again!"

Vexen gestured dramatically at the door as a figure entered. Xemnas smirked as plans began to form in his mind. This one would be a very useful weapon against Maleficent. Dressed in purple and black body armor and sporting long silver hair, the Riku Replica looked exactly as he did the day he died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chitauri, Beta Ray Bill, and New Korbin are from Marvel comics. The Other is from the Marvel cinematic universe and is being adapted into the comic-verse for this story. 
> 
> The Faux Ghost is from Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The various patrons met in the bar are from the Scooby-Doo cartoons. The New Scooby-Doo Movies included two crossover episodes featuring Batman & Robin. The classic version of the Penguin appeared as a villain in them and the Riddler appeared as a referenced figurine, so that's why the bar patrons recognized the Gotham versions.
> 
> Vexen and the Riku Replica are from Kingdom Hearts


	26. Might and Fright Make Right

"Professor Strange, I must thank you for your aid in this endeavor," Kingpin said with a grin. "Smythe has been working to restore them to their former selves but to no avail."

Smythe scoffed at that remark and slunk over to the other side of the room from Kingpin. Hugo Strange was busy tampering with the pods containing the bodies of Vulture, Scorpion, Electro, and Rhino, preparing them for reanimation.

"Do not be so critical towards your friend," Strange said with a smirk. "Human reanimation is quite an elusively difficult process that took me considerable time to master. But rest assured, your insidious warriors will be awake very soon."

"That is precisely what I had wished to hear!" Kingpin said, beaming with pride.

"Without McLeach or Medusa, you're still two warriors short," Smythe reminded him.

"Ah, but the Kingpin prepares for every eventuality!" he boasted. "With the help of Doctor Doom, I have secured a supervillain from his world that fought alongside my insidious warriors on the Masters of Evil. To replace our lost allies..."

A lone figure stepped into the room. He was a gauntlet wielding man clad in a yellow quilted pattern with a maroon vest and accents.

"Shocker!"

"I'm practically _shaking_ gettin' to play for the big leagues again," Shocker declared with a laugh. "And this new gear should take down anybody who gets in my way."

"Loathed though I am to interjected the simple truth of mathematics into your prideful boast," Smythe began, "there are _four_ reanimates and adding Shocker will make _five_. You're still lacking an insidious _sixth_."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Kingpin asked. "I am well aware of our current numerical shortcoming, and I intend to rectify that at once." Kingpin turned to face Strange. "Complete your preparations for the reanimations. I have business to attend to on another world...."

* * *

Kingpin's home world had been ravaged by Spider-Carnage and the goblins, and anyone of use back in his home was dead. Doctor Doom's home world, on the contrary, had parallel versions of many of the same individuals that Kingpin had come into contact with, and they were all alive and well. Because of that, Kingpin knew exactly who to acquire to lead his team of warriors. As the Overtakers' Gummi ship flew high above New York City, the Heartless returned with the man Kingpin had instructed them to abduct. His body was laid out on the floor of the airship, unconscious but still very much alive.

Kingpin smirked as the man began to stir. The four metal tentacles protruding from his back twitched first, and his human body followed soon after. Yellow and green body armor covered his muscular physique, and tinted goggles protected his eyes. This particular strategy had worked quite well on the version of this man who'd existed on Kingpin's world, and Kingpin was confident it would work here as well.

"Who dares to abduct Otto Octavius?" the man growled as he pulled himself to his feet and extended his tentacles out to pose an even greater threat.

"Such histrionics, doctor," Kingpin taunted as he approached the notorious Doctor Octopus.

"Kingpin?" Doctor Octopus asked, surprised to see who he had come face to face with. "What is _this_ all about?"

"I require your talents to aid in one of my long term projects," Kingpin said plainly.

"I'm listening," Doctor Octopus replied.

"There will be nothing else to hear until you guarantee me your cooperation," Kingpin said plainly, keeping to the script that Doctor Octopus had yet to waver from.

"I guarantee you nothing!" Doctor Octopus snapped.

"Your choice, Octavius," Kingpin said with a smirk as he anticipated what would come next. "Either fall in line or fall seventy stories!"

As Kingpin made his threat, a hatch in the floor beneath Doctor Octopus opened, dropping him out of the air ship towards the city streets below. Just as Kingpin knew they would, Doctor Octopus's tentacles frantically grabbed onto the edges of the hatch to save him from certain death.

"Kingpin!" Doctor Octopus called out, pleading for his life. "I'm sure we can work together to some mutually beneficial conclusion!"

Kingpin grinned as he offered his new ally a helping hand. It was a reliable victory for getting Doctor Octopus in line every time.

"I knew I could count on you!"

* * *

Kingpin returned to the lab with Doctor Octopus in tow within the hour.

"Smythe, say hello to our newest ally," Kingpin bellowed.

"Ah, Octavius, how timely," Smythe remarked. "We were just about to begin the process of restoring the others."

"I had wondered where my Sinister Six had managed to end up," Doctor Octopus remarked. "I heard a rumor that Osborn got his claws on them."

"And so he did," Kingpin nodded. "Yet their leash has been handed to _me_."

"Prepare yourselves," Strange cautioned as he adjusted a few knobs. "I'm going to wake our friends in 3... 2... 1."

Strange pulled the lever and instantly the tubes containing the four supervillains began to spark with electricity as life was pumped back into them. Kingpin looked on with a devilish grin, and even Smythe had to admit that he was impressed at Strange's set up. After a few minutes of flickering lights, Strange flipped the switch once again to turn off the power. As he did, the four tubes opened up, and the four villains within emerged.

"Now that was one Hell of a nap!" Electro declared. "I'm feelin' recharged and full of pent up ENERGY!"

Vulture was busy checking his face in the mirror. "I'm glad your process preserved my youth. I would hate to see a decrepit face staring back at me."

"I feel stronger than ever before!" Rhino boasted as he flexed his muscles.

"Oh it is _good_ to be back!" Scorpion remarked. "I haven't stretched my tail in weeks!"

"Welcome back to the waking world," Kingpin said as he approached the four supervillains. "Your salvation is owed to me, the Kingpin, and it is _me_ who you shall now serve!"

Rhino gritted his teeth. "And why should we follow you?"

"Rhino, tut-tut, that's no way to do business," Scorpion interjected. "My apologies, Kingpin. My associate is... inelegant. He doesn't understand the fine art of persuasion."

Scorpion moved the tip of his tail towards Kingpin in a threatening manner, yet Kingpin grabbed the shaft of Scorpion's tail fearlessly and tossed it aside.

"Your paltry threats are of no consequence to me," Kingpin boasted. "I, however, can inflict pain upon you the likes of which you could never even dream of!"

"We understand the stakes, Kingpin," Vulture said as he stepped out in front of his allies. "We'll happily work under _your_ direction. You, unlike Daken or those hillbilly crooks, actually understand what it is to have your ambitions thwarted by the wall weasel."

"Excellent, and I intend to keep things all within the family," Kingpin nodded. "I believe you four are already acquainted with your two new members..."

Shocker and Doctor Octopus both waved at their allies.

"Well if it isn't my favorite off-brand version of me," Electro quipped.

"Still a comedian, huh?" Shocker replied. "And I told ya before: I _don't_ use electricity."

"Octavius too, hmm?" Vulture asked. "You left us to be captured by the Thunderbolts!"

"A tactical maneuver and nothing more," Doctor Octopus said dismissively. "You all would have done the same. But our alliance is not yet dissolved if our benefactor here has anything to say about it."

"Kingpin, how are we supposed to trust this snake?" Rhino asked angrily.

"The past is in the past," Kingpin declared. "It is time for you six to redeem yourselves of your _egregious_ failures, of which you all have _many_. Despite them, the Overtakers still see great potential in you all for carrying out our will."

"A new Sinister Six could be just what the doctor ordered," Doctor Octopus said with a smirk.

"Sinister Six?" Kingpin replied. "Oh no. That name carries with it the stench of failure and defeat. For your new and improved iteration, a rebranding is in order. Now you are my _Insidious_ Six!"

"Insidious Six, huh?" Scorpion asked with a laugh. "I like it! Has a nice _sting_ to it!"

* * *

Beauregard Sanders's family mansion was an old and creepy looking house resting on its own small island a few miles off the coast of Coolsville. Very little vegetation grew there, and the thunder clapping overhead just served to make everything a little spookier. Penguin, Riddler, Venom, and Kieran docked their (stolen) boat and proceeded up the twisted path towards the mansion.

"I would have had a field day with this place if I could have lured Emma and her friends out here," Kieran remarked. "This whole house just _screams_ horror."

"Actually, it reminds me a bit of my father's mansion," Penguin chimed in.

Penguin's face quickly darkened, and he glared venomously at Riddler.

"All I did was dump his body in a dumpster," Riddler said defensively. "I didn't cut his break lines or let him get hit by a train! Besides, you _said_ you forgave me for that."

"Maybe you've forgotten, but I said that when you had me TIED TO THE ROOF OF A CAR with ACID DRIPPING ON ME!" Penguin screamed.

"Boys, boys, as much as we love spewing _venom_ ," Venom said with a hiss. "Now is not the time."

Kieran reached for the front door knob and twisted the handle, only to find that it was locked.

"Most of these windows are broken," Kieran suggested. "We can smash one of them in without anyone knowing the diff-"

Venom grunted as he ripped the front door off its hinges and hurled it into the ocean as if it were nothing more than a frisbee.

"Or... that," Kieran said. "I keep forgetting how strong you are now, Sid."

"Diet, exercise, and a performance enhancing alien symbiote are wonderful things," Venom replied.

Penguin and Riddler both turned on their flashlights as they proceeded into the mansion's parlor.

"The more of me there is, the less you see," Riddler said. "What am I?"

"Tape over your eyes?" Venom quipped.

Riddler scowled. "I hate that you're technically correct. It's _darkness_."

"Then let's chase the darkness away," Kieran suggested as he turned on his own flashlight.

"Looks like they haven't dusted in years," Penguin remarked with disgust. "Olga would never stand for this. _Unacceptable!_ "

"Now if I were a collection of occult memorabilia, where would I be?" Riddler said as he shone his flashlight down various hallways.

"Looks like the occult wasn't the only type of memorabilia the colonel collected," Kieran pointed out as he aimed his own flashlight onto a large confederate flag hanging by the mantle.

Venom rifled through a few boxes in front of the fireplace. "Not just the flag. He certainly had a fondness for confederate soldier uniforms as well. These boxes must contain at least twenty of them."

"With a name like 'Colonel Beauregard Sanders,' why are either of you surprised?" Penguin asked with a roll of his eyes.

Kieran sneered. "Look, I might be a psychopathic serial killer, but at least I'm not a racist who'd collect this junk. I have _standards_."

"Hey guys, come check out what I found," Riddler called out from down the hall. "I have many keys but can't open a single lock. My name is the same as something you almost never see but carry with you everywhere. What am I?"

As Penguin, Venom, and Kieran made their way into the room, Riddler gestured dramatically to an old pipe organ. Venom approached the organ and picked up the songbook that was propped up against it.

"Feed the organ, and watch the floor?" Venom read aloud. "How about feed _us_ organs instead?"

"It's a riddle, you ignoramus!" Riddler shouted. "It's not _feed_ the organ. It's F-E-E-D the organ, as in _that_ combination of musical notes. OBVIOUSLY!"

Riddler picked out those four notes on the keyboard, and once he did, a trapdoor opened and a secret staircase was revealed. Venom was the first to follow the stairs, but, rather than walking down them, he opted to climb the wall alongside them. Kieran shrugged and proceeded down the stairs, and Penguin and Riddler followed afterwards. The four found themselves in a cobweb filled catacomb beneath the mansion.

"Well we certainly found the creepiest part of a creepy house," Venom pointed out. "It's probably a pretty fucking good bet that we'll find his occult collection down here."

"No one has a hidden underground catacomb accessible only by an organ riddle without having something valuable to hide," Penguin agreed.

"The man was an eccentric confederate obsessed lunatic who lived on a haunted island," Kieran pointed out. "I don't think logic necessarily applies to anything in this house."

"No, he's right," Riddler said. "Creeps said that the colonel's stuff was still in the house, and everything upstairs was either mundane or racist but nothing occult. His supernatural collection _has_ to be down here."

"Over here!" Venom called out as he webbed a tarp off of what appeared to be a ritual table of strange artifacts.

"Too bad none of us here are magic users," Kieran said. "I don't know what half of this stuff is."

"It doesn't take a sorcerer to know that none of these trinkets are the Altar of the Cat God," Riddler said with a disappointed sigh.

"No, but I'm sure they'll all fetch a fair price on the black market," Penguin said greedily.

"Wait, take a look at that journal," Venom said as he picked up a very old looking book that had yellowed with age. "Look at the cover."

A symbol resembling a cat head was carved into the leather. Venom showed off his discovery to his compatriots as the symbiote retreated back into his body, becoming Sid once again in order to gracefully handle the delicate book.

"That's a long shot, and you know it," Penguin said.

"Let's check it out, at least," Kieran said. "We came all this way, after all."

Sid gingerly flipped through the yellowed pages, skimming their contents as he did. "It looks like the personal journal of a confederate soldier back in the Civil War."

"Ugh, are any of us surprised anymore?" Penguin asked with a groan.

"Hang on, the Civil War shit is upstairs, but this got left with creepy lookin' stuff," Sid said. "That's _not_ a coincidence."

"What does it say?" Riddler asked.

"It's an account of being stationed in a place called Moonscar Island in the Louisiana Bayou," Sid said. "And then... okay this is fucking weird. He says that rotting corpses rose from the dead and began to attack his battalion."

"I wish I could say that I couldn't relate," Penguin grumbled as he thought back to Hugo Strange's bus load of reanimated monsters.

"But it looks like with each entry, he was starting to suspect that there was something else going on," Sid continued.

"Not surprising considering that we've met an entire bar full of monster impersonators," Riddler pointed out.

"Not like that," Sid argued. "He says he began to suspect that his battalion's hosts, a woman named Simone Lenoir and her maid Lena, were involved in dark conjuring. He also mentions that the two women had at least twenty cats living on their property."

"Crazy cat lady conjurers," Kieran said. "That sounds like as good a lead as any for something called the Altar of the Cat God."

"The journal entry says that the soldier was going to investigate a strange passageway under the staircase," Sid explained.

"And then what?" Penguin asked.

"That's the last entry," Sid announced with a gulp.

"Encouraging," Kieran said.

"Well it sounds like we have our next lead," Riddler said with a grin. "The puzzle is all starting to come together."

"Please tell me we're not going to have to travel a thousand miles to trudge through a _swamp_ to find this thing," Penguin groaned.

"Afraid so," Sid said. "Moonscar Island, here we come."

* * *

Amidst a flurry of green flames, Maleficent manifested in the audience chamber. Ursula, Pete, Amora, Trakeena, Zurg, and Frollo had already assembled and were awaiting her arrival.

"I trust you all are well prepared," Maleficent said as she addressed her allies. "Xemnas is not one to be trifled with."

"Time to show that Nobody who the most powerful people in the universe really are!" Trakeena declared proudly.

Pete chuckled. "You got dat right! He took me hostage for weeks, but I'm ready to return the favor!"

" _You_ will not be coming with us," Maleficent said sternly to Pete.

"That's a relief. The odor was already becoming unbearable," Amora whispered to Ursula who chuckled at the remark.

"WHAT?" Pete asked, his jaw dropping at the notion. "But you said I could-"

"I said you could help in this mission," Maleficent clarified. "And so you shall. I have a task especially for you that is _absolutely_ necessary for our success."

"Special mission?" Pete asked with a grin. "Well, why didn't ya say so? So, uh, whaddya want me to do?"

"You'll recall when Xemnas battled against Sora and Riku, he rode about in that immense dragon shaped airship," Maleficent explained. "Such a weapon could prove devastating if turned against our castle. You must salvage the wreckage and ensure that Xemnas can never again use its power."

Pete saluted. "Righty-o, boss! I'll get right on that!"

"Excellent," Maleficent nodded. "The rest of you shall accompany me to Castle Oblivion to capture the fool!"

"Might there be room on this excursion for seven more?" Kingpin asked as he entered the chamber followed by his Insidious Six.

"Now _them_ I like!" Zurg declared. "They have such deliciously over-the-top eeeeeeeevil ensembles!"

"Must you act like a child at every turn?" Frollo asked.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Zurg snapped back.

"I am... uncertain as to what I expected," Frollo said as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

"From what my men have told me," Kingpin continued as he ignored Zurg and Frollo, "Xemnas had quite the army of Heartless and Nobodies at his disposal during the previous encounter with him. I believe extra manpower would prove most useful."

Maleficent seemed to consider a moment but ultimately nodded. "Very well then. You shall join us as well."

"It's not lost on you that we have thirteen in our party, is it?" Ursula asked.

Maleficent shook her head. "No. I do hope Xemnas will enjoy the irony. Now then...."

Maleficent extended her arm and opened up a Corridor of Darkness.

"... To the task at hand!"

* * *

New Korbin, the home world of Beta Ray Bill, was swarming with Chitauri. Sif had come by the planet to talk with Bill about the letter that he'd sent her, but she found herself in the middle of an invasion before she could meet up with him. Sif, however, was a warrior through and through, and she never shied away from a battle. A trail of Chitauri corpses was left in her wake as she cut down the invading force with extreme prejudice.

Sif grunted loudly as she pulled her sword out of the throat of a Chitauri grunt. "Whoever trained you in the art of combat did you a terrible disservice."

Yet what attacked next was no Chitauri. Sif noticed a blur speeding towards her, and before she even had a chance to raise her blade, Russell Edgington swooped down and unleashed a burst of fairy light that struck Sif and knocked her backwards. Sif found her balance and recovered in midair, allowing her to land safely on the ground. However, she was not prepared for the second man's attack. Hook swung his sword with surprising swiftness, as if he were a striking serpent. Sif managed to parry his blows, but his entire body seemed to be radiating an aura of despair that made it difficult for her to concentrate. Because of this, Sif was slightly slower than usual, and that was all the advantage Hook needed to nick Sif's arm with his blade.

"So gods _do_ bleed," Hook said with a laugh as Sif staggered backwards away from him.

"I do so love the smell of first blood," Russell remarked as he landed by Hook's side and bared his fangs.

Sif scowled at them both and put a hand over her scratch. Though it was only a surface-level wound, Sif could feel that the strike had done more damage than a normal blade would have inflicted. The dark blade sliced at her very soul and absorbed away a small sliver of it.

"A vampire and a Blackguard," Sif said as she looked over her two adversaries. "Somehow I doubt you two were sent by the Chitauri."

"Was it my devilishly handsome complexion that tipped you off?" Hook asked.

"Nobody _sends_ us anywhere," Russell added. "We do what we want no matter what the cost."

Sif held her sword high. "The cost this day is your lives, creatures of darkness! FOR NEW KORBIN!"

As Sif charged towards her opponents, Hook began to radiate darkness and Russell charged himself up with fairy light. From the outside, they looked like two opposite forces of energy, but Sif knew quite well that they had the same black hearts. Russell rocketed through the air, leaving streaks of sparking energy in his wake that Sif had to duck and flip in order to evade. Yet, whilst she was evading the light, Hook was unrelenting with his blade, using his dark aura to allow him to pass through the streaks of energy without taking any damage. Sif was at a severe disadvantage, and dodging both Hook's blade and Russell's energy was nigh impossible.

Hook charged his blade up with decaying energy and prepared to send a shot of putrid energy into Sif's chest. Thinking quickly, Sif rolled away from Russell's onslaught and kicked Hook's wrist, sending his blast off course. The decaying energy struck Russell in the face, causing the vampire to stumble and fall out of his energized form.

"My fucking FACE!" Russell cursed as he peeled his hand away from the rotting flesh that was once his cheek.

"I'm sorry, mate!" Hook called out before turning back to Sif. "Oh you'll pay for that, wench."

Sif, however, was not distracted by Russell's unfortunate circumstances, and she danced around behind Hook and bludgeoned him on the back of the head with the edge of her sword's handle. Hook stumbled forward and collapsed to the ground. The powers of the Blackguard made him more resilient to such strikes than a normal human, but his head still throbbed with intense pain. Sif held out her sword in front of her, pointing it at Russell and then Hook and then back to Russell again.

"Who sent you?" Sif asked. "Why are you here?"

Russell simply smirked. " _Are_ we even here?"

To Sif's surprise, Russell and Hook both vanished from sight as if they'd never even been there in the first place. Sif looked all around her, but she couldn't find a single trace of where they'd gone. However, from seemingly nowhere, Russell reappeared and struck Sif with his light claws across her abdomen, causing her to bend over in pain. Russell then vanished as quickly as he'd come. Then, also as if out of thin air, Hook reappeared and drove his cutlass into her shoulder blade. Sif cried out in pain as she could feel it drain away a chunk of her soul before he pulled it back out and vanished once more.

"You wish to know who sent us?" Hook asked as he and Russell manifested several yards away, grinning smugly. "I thought for certain you'd be able to guess."

"Here's a hint, darlin'," Russell said, his face having fully healed, "it's the man who you hurt worse than anyone else in your miserable existence."

Sif attempted to staggered to her feet, but she stumbled back to the ground, unable to muster the strength to hold herself up. She felt a pair of cold hands grabbing her shoulder, and as a chill ran down her spine, she knew right away who was behind this.

"Hello Sif," Loki hissed. "Have you enjoyed my little welcoming party?"

" _Loki_ ," Sif spat. "Hiding behind a dead man and a mortal fiend. I should have known that so cowardly a deed could only be your doing."

"You mistake cleverness for cowardice," Loki said as he positioned himself in front of Sif. "I orchestrated the Chitauri attack on this world, your little message from Beta Ray Bill, and your battle with my allies all to get you here to this moment: weak and defeated at my feet! I shall treasure this sight until the end of my days: the grand architect of my torment broken at last."

"Thus does the coward place his failed outrages at the feet of others," Sif replied proudly. "Your torment was of your own making, Loki. You acted from hurt and anger and thus proved yourself unworthy."

"I hurt because I was _meant_ to hurt!" Loki said with a sneer. "You treated me with derision and contempt, and your words were ever acid!"

"There was honesty in my words," Sif replied. "I saw from the first what you were and said so. You but did me the favor of showing me to be right!"

Loki's scowl deepened. "I was a child guilty of nothing more than being _different_. Yet difference was contemptable to one such as you! You treated me as an outsider and a villain, and then even when I played the role that was chosen for me, I was met with contempt."

"As ever, you twist the truth," Sif said. "You never tried to be a friend to any of us. You never tried to be good or noble or compassionate to anyone else. Even as Thor has attempted to mend broken bonds time and time again, you have never responded in kind."

"And why would I?" Loki asked. "I can think of nothing more _vile_ than to spend my days seeking the friendship and love of witless oafs... to compromise my love of mischief and evil for the sake of your drab sensibilities."

"You hold us in contempt, and yet act surprised when I responded in kind," Sif pointed out. "Ever a coward and a hypocrite of the worst sort."

"I supposed we'll simply have to agree to disagree," Loki remarked as he picked up a fallen Chitauri spear from the ground and turned it over in his hands. "It is, unfortunately, not yet time for Odin to be knocked off his throne, and thus he cannot know that I was behind your death, Sif."

"Too much of a coward to even take responsibility for his own actions," Sif sneered, still unable to stand or fight back. "Do as you will, _Lackeyson!_ "

Loki gritted his teeth in rage as he drove the Chitauri spear through Sif's heart. The goddess gasped for air, unable to get oxygen to reach her lungs as blood began to pour from her chest and mouth. Russell looked on with a sadistic grin, whilst Hook simply watched with a straight face. Loki's angry and pained expression began to contort and twist into insane laughter as he watched the light leave his hated enemy's eyes.

The Lady Sif was no more.

"Well...," Loki began as he straightened up and let Sif fall limply to the ground. " _That_ was satisfying. If the mortals could simply do that, millions would be saved in therapy."

Russell chuckled. "Humans are all a bunch of imbeciles... no offense, Hook. You're the exception."

"No offense taken," Hook shrugged. "I quite concur, after all. But speaking of, shall we proceed to Storybrooke so that I may save _myself_ doubloons spent on therapy?"

"Not yet," Loki said with a sly smirk. "I do believe Storybrooke is best saved as our final destination, and I do believe Russell has a score to settle."

Russell bared his fangs. "Then I suppose it's time to move on from killin' Viking goddesses to killin' Viking _vampires_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doctor Octopus and Shocker are both from Marvel comics. Shocker appeared in both Marvel Ultimate Alliance games. Doctor Octopus never appeared in the original continuity of Marvel Ultimate Alliance, but this version of the character is still the version set in that universe so his comics history is canon up until the point that universe diverged from the 616 timeline. For my purposes, the last time Doctor Octopus showed up before the continuity diverged was Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Out of Reach.
> 
> Colonel Beauregard Sanders's mansion appeared in the classic Scooby-Doo episode "A Night of Fright is No Delight."


	27. Blood Sport

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for this chapter. See footnote for details if you think it may apply.

The popular vampire bar Fangtasia was bustling with its nightly crowd of fang bangers and horny vampires. Right-wing protestors littered the parking lot holding up signs condemning vampires and their allies to Hell, practicing what Russell referred to as "their constitutional right to be fucking morons." Russell stood perched on the rooftop of the building across from Fangtasia, glancing down at the establishment with anticipation. Loki and Hook lurked behind him.

"So what exactly _is_ your plan, Russell?" Loki asked. "Surely you do not expect us to enter a nest of vampires without any semblance of direction."

"Unlike you, Mr. Subterfuge," Russell said as he gestured towards Loki, "I'm not really one for convoluted bullshit. I personally prefer the direct approach. Go in, rip Northman's head off, and then go celebrate by slaughterin' every human in Shreveport."

Hook shrugged. "I like it. Simple. Easy to follow."

Loki just rolled his eyes. "Given your track record, Hook, I'd have thought you'd have learned your lesson about charging head-first into peril."

"Point well taken," Hook admitted. "After all, what are Loki and I to do whilst you commence with the head ripping?"

"Northman's got powerful friends," Russell explained. "Make sure his feisty little ward is detained and can't call in any help. I'd rather not have to contend with whatever fuckin' fairy magic Miss Stackhouse can muster to save one of her handsome lovesick fools."

"Do you want the ward or the fairy dead as well?" Loki asked.

"A progeny for a progeny or a lover for a lover," Russell mused at the thought. "That'd be fair play in the game Eric’s playin', wouldn't it? But no. For it to mean anything, I'd have to leave Eric Northman alive, and it's not worth it. They're not a true threat to our cause, so why bother? Biggest cruelty I can muster is to leave them behind to mourn their husband killin' Scandinavian nitwit."

"So we're to be glorified crowd-control, is that it?" Hook asked with a scowl.

Russell chuckled. "Your words, not mine. Now then... shall we?"

* * *

Maleficent and her team of Overtakers stood outside the entrance of Castle Oblivion, ready to storm the castle to seize Xemnas. However, before they entered the castle, Maleficent turned to address her allies.

"Ursula, Amora, lend me your power," Maleficent requested.

Ursula and Amora nodded and concentrated their magic on empowering Maleficent. The evil fairy began to radiate green flames, and soon her allies did as well. The energy first passed back to Ursula and Amora then to Trakeena and Zurg before leaping into Kingpin and his Insidious Six. Despite initially recoiling from the magic, it finally found its way to Frollo.

"Witchcraft," Frollo remarked as he inspected the energy glowing from his hand. "Never did I think I'd see the day when it was a welcome gift."

"This spell will protect us from the powers of the castle," Maleficent explained. "Had we entered without it, our memories would be subject to alteration and our ability to do battle would have been hampered by cards."

"Cards?" Zurg asked. "Like... as in... playing cards? As in the type you use at a high stakes table at Kentrix's casino on Mahambas VI and then somehow manage to lose big despite having the most fiendishly good hand and then you owe a fish faced crime lord free weapons for a year and he _still_ brings it up at all the villain parties?"

Trakeena rolled her eyes. "A sore spot for you?"

"I never said it happened to _me!_ " Zurg replied defensively. "It could have easily happened to any number of people! For all you know, I could have been talking about something that happened to Rhino!"

"I don't gamble no more," Rhino barked in reply.

"Or Amora!" Zurg deflected.

"I don't lose to lesser men," Amora said. "When I tell them to fold, they do so."

"The _point_ , my friends," Maleficent chimed in with a frustrated edge to her voice, "is that we will be spared from any of the ill effects of the castle. Now then, we have delayed long enough. It is time to show Xemnas that the Overtakers are not to be trifled with!"

Maleficent led her procession into the stark white entrance hall of Castle Oblivion. With their ensembles of dark colored clothing, the Overtakers stood out from their surroundings.

"What a garish color palette!" Ursula said with disgust. "Whoever decorated this place needs to be strung up by his toes until he learns how to use paint that _isn't_ white. Actually...."

Ursula began to spin around in circles and secrete clouds of ink that puffed up and quickly spread, billowing across the floors, walls, and ceiling. After a few short moments the ink faded away, and the entire entrance hall had been totally repainted in shades of purple, magenta, and black that matched Ursula's sense of style.

" _Much_ easier on the eyes," Ursula declared with a chuckle.

"Quite lovely indeed," Maleficent agreed with a light laugh. "But do not become overly comfortable here. Remember, we are here to snuff out an enemy!"

"A task you shall fail at!" a voice echoed throughout the chamber as a Corridor of Darkness opened at the end of the hall.

From the dark corridor, Saïx emerged, grinning wickedly. His smug confidence, however, quickly turned into a scowl when he saw the recolored entrance hall.

"Your gaudy redecoration matters little," Saïx said. "It is a base and meaningless concern."

"Style and aesthetic are _never_ base or meaningless," Amora said with a look of disgust.

"You shielded yourself from the castle's powers," Saïx said, ignoring Amora. "Impressive. But it does not prevent us from _sampling_ your memories. Even with your protection spell, in this place, to find is to lose and to lose is to find. That is the way of things in Castle Oblivion."

Saïx held up a pack of glowing blue cards with three triangles protruding from the top. He then tossed the pack to Maleficent.

"Proceed as you will," Saïx said as he vanished into another Corridor of Darkness.

"Why did we not simply destroy that azure haired cretin the moment he arrived?" Kingpin asked. "Surely we could have struck when the fool was rambling."

"Oh just you wait until you meet his boss," Ursula said as she chuckled. "If you thought _he_ rambled, you're in for a rude awakening."

"Was I the only one perturbed by his unsightly long hair?" Frollo asked.

"At least he doesn't have an unsightly receding hair line," Trakeena quipped.

"Enough!" Maleficent said. "I require you all to focus!"

"Picked a bad roster for that," Ursula mumbled.

"The card and the castle are clearly a trap," Maleficent explained. "Yet they may prove to be a necessary evil. If I knew _where_ in the castle Xemnas is hiding, I _could_ simply use my magic to transport us there, but given that I do not know, it would serve us well to conduct a thorough investigation. There are thirteen floors and thirteen of us. I can use my powers to place us each on a separate floor to sweep for that fool."

"That _would_ expedite the process considerably," Frollo agreed.

"I like the way you think, angelfish, but splitting us up removes our biggest tactical advantage: the sheer force of numbers," Ursula pointed out.

"Hmmm, wisely observed," Maleficent said as she tapped her chin. "Perhaps if we divide into pairs and have each pair investigate two floors together, we can still cover more ground without leaving ourselves alone and vulnerable. The thirteenth floor can be searched if the other floors do not bear fruit. Should anyone encounter Xemnas, use your communication devices to inform the rest of us."

Zurg looked at Trakeena and then at Frollo and shivered with disgust. " _Must_ we partner up? You didn't let me bring anyone I actually like on this mission."

"You do not have to like your partner to work with them," Maleficent said with a sneer. "Kingpin, you and your Insidious Six shall take the first six floors. Divide your men as you see fit." Kingpin nodded approvingly. "Seven and eight shall be searched by Trakeena and Zurg." Zurg and Trakeena each made a sound of disgust. "Amora and Frollo will collaborate on floors nine and ten." Frollo grinned and his eyes drifted directly to Amora's chest, prompting her to roll her eyes. "And Ursula, you and I shall take eleven and twelve."

"Ha HA! The dream team!" Ursula declared.

The Insidious Six all paired off with Vulture and Electro immediately attaching themselves to each other. Scorpion and Rhino moved as far away from one another as they could, leading Doctor Octopus to pair with Scorpion and Shocker to pair with Rhino. Kingpin opted to join Doctor Octopus and Scorpion as the sole group of three.

Maleficent passed around her cards, granting two to each group and keeping the remaining three for herself.

"Take these," Maleficent instructed. "Though my powers spared you from requiring cards to do combat, these will prove necessary for navigating the castle. You all have the power to call upon the Corridors of Darkness. Do so if you find yourself in jeopardy. Now go! And do not fail me!"

Maleficent extended her arms and engulfed herself and her allies into a flurry of green flames, whisking them away from the castle foyer.

* * *

Doom and Fish were seated at a small table together in the House of Villains, enjoying a casual lunch. Being the sophisticated and upper class villains that they were, they opted for a meal of considerable culinary artistry... meaning, of course, that they opted for grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. Doom loathed exposing his face in public, but it wasn't feasible to eat through his mask. Though he trusted Fish and most of the Overtakers with being able to see his face, he still opted to keep on his green cowl in order to obscure his visage in shadow. Old habits, after all, died hard.

"And you said Loki was _where?_ " Fish asked as she nibbled on her sandwich.

"On a journey of vengeance," Doom answered as he sipped his soup, "along with Edgington and Hook. I had no desire to embark on so trivial a mission."

Fish raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "He didn't invite you, did he?"

"No," Doom admitted. "I choose to believe he did not wish to expose us both to the potential wrath of Odin. However, he still shall one day be punished for this exclusion regardless of intentions."

"If it's any consolation, Ursula jetted off with Maleficent to go after Xemnas," Fish said. "And then Kieran and Penguin went off on a little excursion for Ursula. Neither of them saw fit to include me either. So I'm in the same boat as you."

"It is unacceptable that our incomparable talents are being squandered!" Doom growled as he slammed his fist on the table. "We are founding members of the Overtakers, and yet we are treated as afterthoughts!"

"Maybe we ought to go have our own little side venture without inviting the ingrates," Fish suggested with a sly smile. "That'd teach them, especially if we managed to win something big in the process."

"Doom likes the way you think, Fish," he replied with a chuckle. "Perhaps we could-"

"Doom! Fish!" Jafar called out as he and Grimhilde quickly crossed the dining area to speak with their allies. "There is a matter of grave importance, and your aid is required!"

"It is to do with the Black Cauldron," Grimhilde added once they arrived at the table. "With Hades's failure to harness the power of the evil Firebird, another source of darkness and evil is necessary to activate the cauldron. So, I poured over every book left to me by my mother to find an alternate source of power, and I-"

"Would have found _nothing_ without my assistance," Jafar interrupted. "And do not forget that your mother's library was not the only one we searched."

Grimhilde sneered but continued on. " _We_ discovered a spell that can accomplish the desired effect. However, there is an unfortunate obstacle in our path forward."

"Well, go on, what's wrong?" Fish asked.

"We can recharge the cauldron using Erebus," Jafar replied. "I'm sure I don't have to remind you why that is a problem under our current circumstances."

"You do not," Doom nodded.

Fish looked back and forth between her three allies and frowned. "Someone want to let me in on what you three apparently already know? I'm not a witch or wizard like the rest of you."

"Erebus was a primordial deity of darkness that was born at the dawn of time, at least according to the Greeks," Doom explained. "Though I suspect that what the Greeks identified as Erebus was more than a single entity. I suspect a connection to both the All-Black and the Black Winter observed by the Asgardians."

"Regardless," Grimhilde interrupted, "for our purposes, Erebus is essentially a more ancient and more potent version of the darkness we wield. There are veins of Erebus across the universe, and they can be rather... elusive. However, we are fortunate enough to know of one critical vein."

"Where?'" Fish asked before reconsidering her question. "Wait. Erebus was Greek, and it's darkness. Let me guess: the Underworld."

"Obviously," Jafar sneered. "And in Hades's current despondent state, we're in no position to harvest the Erebus we need. After all, we'll need him in top shape to harness that sort of power from his own realm."

"So we get left out and now we're savin' the day?" Fish asked. "That about cover it?"

"Cheering up the Lord of the Dead is beneath me," Doom sneered. "Such chores are what people like _you_ are for."

"INSOLENT CUR!" Jafar snapped. "HAVE YOU NO DESIRE TO-"

"Jafar, _please_ , enough," Grimhilde said before turning back to Doom and Fish. "I am not Maleficent. I cannot force either of you to help, but know this: Hades has done much for all of us in the name of both alliance and friendship. The strength of our forces is and has ever been collaboration. That collaboration _must be_ reciprocated to endure. When the time comes for our endgame, it will be clear who strengthened our alliance and who weakened it."

Fish sighed but ultimately nodded. "No, no. You're right. I _was_ always going to help, and Hades would do the same for any of us."

Grimhilde turned towards Doom. "And you?"

"Doom has elevated this faction time and time again," he boasted. "Your petty prediction is naught but flimsy posturing.... However, Doom shall help for but one simple reason: because he wishes it."

"More like because he's bored and wants to rub it in Loki's face that he had a side quest of his own," Fish whispered to Jafar who snickered at the statement.

"Very well, understood," Grimhilde nodded with a sly grin as she summoned forth a Corridor of Darkness. "Now then, shall we set off?"

"I've the oddest feeling that we're forgetting someone," Jafar mused as he proceeded through the portal.

"Honestly can't think of anyone else suited to the task of inspiring and persuading," Fish admitted as she followed after him.

Doom replaced his mask and strutted through the portal confidently, and Grimhilde followed after, closing the portal behind her. Once the portal closed, Steve Newlin dashed into the dining room.

"Hello? Fish? Doom? Grimhilde? Jafar?" Steve called out. "That's funny, I thought I heard y'all in here... I have an idea for using my knack for inspiring and persuading to get Hades back on his feet, but I need y'all's help... Oh well. I'll bring it up once y'all get back."

"Are you talking to yourself?" NOS-4-A2 asked from a corner booth where he was chowing down on an old laptop.

"Apparently so," Steve grumbled before storming out.

* * *

The Corridor of Darkness deposited Penguin, Riddler, Venom, and Kieran outside of the old mansion on Moonscar Island. The sun had already mostly set, and the sky was progressively darkening. Penguin clutched himself and shivered.

"There's something eerie in the air here," Penguin said with a sneer.

"Logically speaking, it's just cold and you're paranoid because of the stories," Riddler pointed out.

" _Logically_ speaking, we're on a team with WITCHES and DEMONS!" Penguin replied. "I think I'll trust my intuition on this."

"We feel it too," Venom agreed.

"According to the journal, there's a secret passageway under the stairs," Kieran said. "Let's go check it out."

It didn't take long for the four villains to enter the foyer of the abandoned house or for Venom to physically rip the stairs off of the passageway they were covering.

"I'm relieved that the big strong guy's on our side this time," Riddler said as he eyed the debris of what had once been the staircase.

"Indeed so!" Penguin nodded. "This beats running away from Bane by a longshot."

The four villains turned on their flashlights and proceeded down the dark path that stretched out in front of them. After walking for a few minutes, the four arrived at a wooden door. The hinges creaked as Kieran pushed it open, and the four entered a room that appeared to be designated for voodoo rituals. A grated skylight overhead allowed moonlight to shine on a large moondial, and behind the moondial stood a large statue of an anthropomorphic cat holding an unlit torch.

"That's gotta be it!" Kieran said. "Sid, can you grab it?"

Venom lifted up the statue and propped it against his shoulder. "What about the moondial? It looks important. Should we take it too?"

"Well if it's not important, it'll still fetch a nice price from an antique dealer," Penguin pointed out greedily. "So, yes, grab it!"

Venom ripped up the moondial and threw it over his other shoulder.

"Well that was easier than I anticipated," Riddler said. "I'm almost insulted that the riddle was _this_ simple to unravel."

Suddenly, voices cursing in another language began to shout as a dozen men wearing black and white demon masks ran down the tunnel. Some were brandishing guns, others were holding swords and shields, and a few were unarmed but still appeared ready to fight.

"Hand over the altar!" one of the demons ordered.

Kieran groaned and glared at Riddler. "You just had to jinx it, didn't you?"

"Why do all the criminals on this world wear masks?" Penguin asked with a sneer.

"Black and white demon masks... that sounds familiar...," Venom said. "Wait! Watts mentioned that those were the guys who beat us to stealing the Octavius technology!"

Kieran drew his knives. "Then let's carve those masks off of their faces!"

Venom put down the altar and the moondial and webbed them securely to the floor to keep the demons from taking them. He then attached a webline to one of the demons and propelled himself forward into the demon, snapping his neck with a sickening crunch. A demon brandishing a sword attempted to attack, but Venom launched the demon into the air, leaped up to him, and delivered a few well placed punches to his opponent's face. One of the demons open-fired on Venom, but the symbiote protected Sid from the barrage of bullets.

"You thought you could kill us?" Venom asked as he returned to the ground. "Big mistake!"

Venom hopped over towards the demon that shot him and slapped the gun out of the demon's hands. The demon attempted to run away, but Venom grabbed him by the arm and, with one vicious chomp, bit the demon's head clean off. The other demons looked on in disgust.

"Did we just bite that guy's head off?" Sid asked.

"Yes, we did. Get used to it," Venom answered.

Sid wasn't entirely sure that one _could_ conceivably get used to biting off heads, but he resolved not to think too hard about it. They had other, more pressing concerns at the moment.

One demon's hands began to glow with darkness and light as he swung his fists at Riddler and then at Penguin. The two supervillains stumbled out of the way to avoid taking the hit.

"What the HELL is THAT?" Penguin shouted.

"Don't let him touch you!" Riddler said as he swung at the demon with his cane, prompting the demon to jump back to avoid being sliced by the tip.

"Obviously!" Penguin said as he fired a bullet that struck the demon square in the chest, shooting him dead.

"Look out!" Riddler called out as a demon with a sword unleashed a wave of energy that cut right between Riddler and Penguin, separating them from each other. Penguin was able to shield himself from the full force of the blast with his umbrella, but Riddler wasn't so lucky. The wave of energy struck Riddler's leg, causing him to cry out in pain as it left a nasty burn across his shin.

"ED!" Penguin called out as he scrambled to his feet.

The sword wielding demon charged towards Riddler, hoping to strike him while he was down. However, Penguin jumped in and batted the sword away with his umbrella. He then activated the switchblade tip at just the right angle that it stabbed directly into the demon's throat.

"Remind me to thank you later, Oswald," Riddler said as he stumbled to his feet.

Penguin smiled. "What are old friends for?"

One of the demons round-house kicked Kieran in the chest, knocking him backwards. However, Kieran quickly recovered and started swinging at the demon with his hunting knife, causing the demon to stumble out of the way. Kieran reached forward and discharged a jolt of electricity from his glove into his opponent. The electrocuted demon stumbled and bumped into another demon, passing on the painful jolt of electricity. Kieran quickly dashed forward and slit both of their throats for good measure.

"Now you all will know that a _Ghostface_ is much deadlier than a demon mask," Kieran declared with a laugh.

A demon holding a large shield cursed in his native language and threw a flare bomb at Kieran. Thinking quickly, Kieran activated his localized smoke screen in order to obscure the flash of light. The lenses of his mask made up the difference and highlighted the demon caught in the smokescreen. Kieran moved swiftly through the darkness and plunged a dagger into the back of the shield wielding demon repeatedly and tossed him aside to bleed out on the floor.

"I _do_ enjoy playing with my toys, but there's something invigorating about killing with the knife," Kieran said as he wiped the blood off the blade. "The effect is a _killer_ one!"

As the demons one by one were slaughtered by the four Overtakers, a new figure entered the room: a man who appeared as though he were a photonegative. Though his opponents were unaware, this very feature was exactly why he was known far and wide as Mr. Negative, the leader of the Inner Demons. Mr. Negative put a hand on two demons' shoulders, absorbing energy from both until they passed out. Then with a dramatic gesture of his hands, Mr. Negative unleashed a wave of energy that bowled over the four Overtakers. The symbiote and the Ghostface cloak protected Sid and Kieran from being seriously hurt by the blast, and Penguin and Riddler ducked behind the protection of the umbrella to keep themselves safe. However, one thing was obvious to them all: Mr. Negative was a force to be reckoned with.

"Grab the altar and the moondial, now!" Mr. Negative ordered his influx of new demons that poured into the chamber.

"Now who invited _you_ to our little party?" Venom hissed.

"I supplied your guests," Mr. Negative said as he gestured to his fallen minions. "A pity they weren't durable enough for the celebration."

"Maybe you'll last longer... but probably not," Kieran said.

"What's black and white and red all over?" Riddler asked as he twirled his cane. "You, once I slice you open and make you _bleed_."

Penguin laughed. "I think it's time for this demon to learn that Hell is empty, and all the _real_ demons are right here!"

"We're kind of on a head-eating kick," Venom said. "And, we've gotta admit, we're getting into it! And _you're_ next!"

The four Overtakers rushed towards Mr. Negative with murderous intent. Mr. Negative, however, wasn't phased by this attack and charged up himself with energy. Once the four were in range, he released the negative energy upon the other villains, engulfing them all in a bright white light.

As the light cleared, Kieran found himself in a world devoid of color, but he recognized the location. He was back in Lakewood at the pier by Wren Lake... which meant he was there where it had happened.... Kieran walked out onto the pier and saw a group of silhouettes frozen in time. Emma and Audrey were holding onto each other, and Emma was firing a gun at the third silhouette. The third silhouette was falling into the water after being shot, and her blood was splattering everywhere... or it least it would have if the scene moved at all.

"Piper," Kieran whispered under his breath before turning and yelling at the sky. "What the Hell is this? What's going on?"

"You tell me; you're the one that brought us here," Mr. Negative said as he appeared on the pier, a bright shimmering light amidst the dark setting.

Kieran turned away from Mr. Negative to look back at his beloved Piper. He couldn't really even make out her face as hard as he tried, and he hated it.

"Ah, that woman, Piper," Mr. Negative said. "She was the woman you loved."

"You SHUT UP!" Kieran shouted as he lunged at Mr. Negative.

However, the image of Mr. Negative simply faded into mist and rematerialized a few feet away.

"You were here that night, weren't you?" Mr. Negative asked. "You saw it all happen from the shadows, and yet you did _nothing_."

"You don't know anything!" Kieran said as he swung his knife for Mr. Negative's throat, but, again, the image dissolved and simply reformed itself further down the pier.

"You two were supposed to be the apex predators, invincible," Mr. Negative continued. "Yet karma always comes around. Piper got hers, and you were petrified of getting yours. You let the woman you loved die because you were too weak to face the consequences of what you'd done."

"The consequences of this for _you_ are going to be excruciating, I promise!" Kieran threatened.

"Tough words," Mr. Negative laughed. "But we all know you're just a scared little boy, hiding behind a mask because you're not man enough to face the fact that all of this is _your fault!_ "

Penguin, meanwhile, found himself on another pier in a scene that was similar but distinctly different. This pier was a dark and monochromatic view of Gotham harbor, and only two silhouettes were out there. One in a bowler hat holding a gun, and the other frozen mid-splash as he fell into the harbor. Penguin tried to rub his eyes, hoping that the memory of the day Riddler shot him would go away.

"Now this is certainly different," Mr. Negative said as he walked past the silhouette of Riddler. "Most people don't survive being shot off of piers. Just ask your friend, Kieran."

"Well I'm not most people," Penguin sneered.

"Clearly," Mr. Negative agreed. "Most people don't get shot by the man they love."

"Quiet!" Penguin snapped.

"You loved him and trusted him," Mr. Negative continued. "You would have done anything for him. And yet he betrayed you, tried to kill you, all over a woman who you _know_ he would have killed himself if given the chance."

"I'll kill _you_ myself once I get the chance!" Penguin vowed.

Mr. Negative vanished and reappeared down by Penguin's silhouette. He walked across the surface of the water as if it were solid.

"Do you remember what it felt like?" Mr. Negative asked as he stroked the hair of the Penguin silhouette. "Of course you do. You couldn't decide which was more painful: the betrayal of the only man you'd ever loved... _or the bullet in your gut!_ "

Riddler, on the other hand, ended up in a memory that he'd never seen before, but it was certainly one he'd imagined time and time again. It was at the train tracks and depicted the image of a car frozen mid-scene being demolished by an oncoming train. Though Riddler couldn't see the silhouette of the driver, he knew it was Isabella's wreck.

"A train demolishing the woman you loved," Mr. Negative said as he appeared on the train tracks. "That's almost Freudian."

"Let me guess, you're taking me through a bad memory to try to get under my skin," Riddler said. "Interesting strategy, but I'm too smart to take your bait."

"Are you?" Mr. Negative asked. "Because you clearly weren't smart enough to figure out that your dear friend Penguin did this. It had to be spelled out to you by Barbara."

Riddler scowled. "I was blinded by-"

"Your own burgeoning feelings for him, yes I know," Mr. Negative interrupted. "But what would dear Isabelle say if she could see you today."

"ISABELL _ **A**_!" Riddler corrected angrily.

"Yes, of course," Mr. Negative replied with a grin. "What would she say if she could see you today. She died because Penguin wanted you for himself, and now look at you: you gave yourself to her murderer! Her only crime was loving you, and yet you've utterly betrayed her."

"NO! No, no, no, NO!" Riddler shouted.

"Then again, why should that come as a surprise?" Mr. Negative asked. "Kristen... Isabella... Lee... Oswald... Everyone you ever infect with your love eventually gets killed by you... whether or not they stay dead is irrelevant. You're a kiss of death, and that's _all you'll ever be!_ "

Sid woke up as himself in a suburban backyard... if the backyard had been drained of color and drenched in black paint under a black sky. He didn't take the time to take stock of his surroundings. A far more alarming realization dawned on Sid when he felt that his necklace was gone.

" _Venom?_ " Sid shouted. " _Where are you?_ "

"I took him offline so that we could have a little chat," Mr. Negative explained as he materialized amongst the darkness. "Look there!"

Mr. Negative pointed to a clump of silhouettes: a terrified little boy surrounded by toys closing in on him, a cowboy doll in his hand and a strange spider-like toy on his head. For years, he'd tried to convince himself that this memory was just a bad dream, but he knew better. It was real, and it had happened.

"I've seen some strange memories before," Mr. Negative said. "But this is by far the strangest I've encountered."

"I never meant to hurt the toys," Sid said. "I didn't.... I didn't _know!_ "

"Maybe not, but you still liked to _imagine_ them hurting," Mr. Negative pointed out. "You knew what you were doing was causing pain, whether real or imaginary. Because that's how your father taught you power worked."

"Don't talk about my dad!" Sid hissed.

"Or what? Without Venom, you can't back up your threats," Mr. Negative pointed out. "Your father traumatized you for the sin of existing, and then your very own toys traumatized you for the sin of ignorance. You've always been a victim, and Venom is simply another toy you cling to to make yourself feel like you're the villain for once."

"I _am_ a villain!" Sid insisted.

"No, you're not," Mr. Negative shook his head. "The truth is that you're just another one of your broken toys _who no one wants to play with_."

All at once, all four Overtakers saw the exact same thing in their visions. A demon mask floated in the air in front of the four. Mr. Negative stood off to the side, looking on at the Overtakers eagerly.

"Put on the mask!" Mr. Negative offered. "Leave your pain and misery behind! Become one of us!"

And this was how the four answered.

"I've already got a mask I love!" Kieran said as he cleaved it in half with his knife.

"I'll take option B: the one where I destroy you and everyone wearing one of these ridiculous masks!" Penguin said as he fired his umbrella upon the mask.

"What is always in front of you but can’t be seen? The future. And you're not part of mine!" Riddler said as he batted the mask away with his cane.

"Fuck off! Fuck all the way off!" Sid said as he fired the Big One into the mask, shattering it.

The bright white light of the masks' destructions engulfed the four villains, and they all found themselves back in the ritual chamber on Moonscar Island. The symbiote returned to Sid, and they became Venom once more. Penguin and Riddler hugged each other close, not even needing to speak about what they each had been through, and Kieran tightened the grip on his knife, feeling the overwhelming urge to kill. Mr. Negative and the demons were gone, and so were the Altar of the Cat God and the moondial.

"I have a very strong desire," Riddler said, addressing his comrades, "to hunt that bastard down and shove one of those demon masks DOWN HIS THROAT!"

"Oh, I agree!" Penguin nodded.

"Let me carve a few pieces off first," Kieran spat.

''THEN WE BITE OFF HIS _HEAD!_ " Venom roared.

* * *

A large broadsword was laid out on Eric's desk, and Eric Northman ran his fingers across its hilt. The sword had been his before he'd been made vampire, and it was the weapon he'd always intended to taste the blood of the man who'd slaughtered his entire family. Things didn't quite work out the way he'd originally planned, but he did manage to show Russell Edgington the True Death all those months ago. Eric took solace in that victory as a promise kept to his father. Now, after everything he'd been through with the Authority and Lilith, taking out his old sword was a welcome return to the familiar in a way that grounded him.

Eric held the sword aloft and admired the blade. The sound of someone entering his office, however, immediately took his attention away from the sword.

"What a fine sword," Russell said with a laugh. "Here, let me help you SHINE it!"

Before Eric had a chance to attack, Russell unleashed a blast of fairy light that knocked Eric back through the backwall and out onto the streets outside. Russell laughed as he casually strolled outside after Eric.

"Surprised to see me again?" Russell taunted.

"How is this possible?" Eric asked as he rose to his feet and held up his sword defensively.

"Oh, Eric, at this point, you should know that _anything_ is possible!" Russell declared. "I found a way to cheat death, to walk in the sun, and to become more powerful than ever before!"

"Fairy blood," Eric growled.

"Among other things," Russell said with a demented grin. "And now I'm gonna do somethin' I should've done the moment you killed Talbot."

Eric bared his fangs. "Try it you ancient blood bag."

Eric dashed towards Russell, but the older vampire flew up into the air and summoned his fairy light claws. Eric quickly altered course to follow Russell, and flew directly into Russell, propelling them both into the side of a nearby building and dislodging several chunks of debris. Eric's blade pressed against Russell's claws, and Russell grinned dementedly as he pressed back against Eric and forced the younger vampire to slide backwards. Russell then kicked off of the wall and rocketed himself and Eric back down to the streets below. Russell managed to land on his feet, but Eric was sent skidding down the road, leaving his face and hands bloody and badly skinned.

"I'm still older and stronger than you, Eric," Russell taunted.

Eric's body began to heal, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he fired a defiant glare towards Russell. "Then why am I still alive?"

"Because I'm havin' too much fun draggin' it out!" Russell declared.

Eric dashed back towards Russell, sword in hand. Russell reformed his light claws into a single blade, and he casually twirled the weapon around. When Eric and Russell met once again, to a human eye they appeared as blurs moving too fast to distinguish and eventually began to stir up enough debris to where they looked like a tornado in the middle of the road with frequent bursts of lightning. However, in actuality, Eric and Russell were fencing with their respective blades, clashing and parrying one blow after another. Eventually, however, Eric managed to land a brutal slice across Russell's forearm. The older vampire grunted and stumbled out of his vampiric speed as he clutched the gushing wound.

"Actually I think between coming back from the dead and turning yourself into a fairy-hybrid, you're slower now," Eric said with a confident grin. "I never would have been able to land a hit on the old Russell."

Russell bared his fangs. "I wouldn't bet your life on it!"

Russell and Eric sped towards each other and again clashed blades, the two of them whirlwinding down the streets of Shreveport, crashing into and decimating various cars and small business buildings in their path. One minute they were fencing on the streets, the next they were up in the air, and the next they were halfway across town. Eric skidded out of vampiric speeds in the middle of a sideroad. He looked around for any sign of Russell, who had seemingly vanished. However, when Eric noticed a semitruck flying directly for him, he dashed out of the way, leaving the truck to crash into the apartment building behind him.

Down the street, a mile away, Eric could see Russell ripping a telephone pole out of the ground and holding it aloft like a baseball bat. Eric dashed to the nearest telephone pole to him and uprooted it as well. The two vampires ran towards each other, telephone poles in hand, and both vampires swung their oversized bats at the same time. As the poles clashed, they split across the middle with a loud crash, unleashing thousands of wooden splinters. Russell and Eric both ran for the splinters, knowing that any of them would serve as a stake to the heart if well aimed. Two blurs gathered, threw, and danced out of the way of hundreds of wooden shards that went hurtling wildly in every direction.

Once all but one of the splinters closest to him had been used up, Russell scooped up the last splinter, turned tail, and ran in the opposite direction. Eric swiftly followed after. Eric chased after Russell from rooftop to rooftop, occasionally clashing with their blades whenever one of them managed to get close enough to the other. Eric kept up as best as he could, but even if he was slower and weaker than the last time Eric had encountered him, Russell was still older and stronger than Eric. That disadvantage was starting to catch up with the younger vampire, and Russell hurled Eric through an entire office building. Eric landed on a broken steel pipe that impaled him through his abdomen. Eric tried to muster the strength to pull himself free of the pipe, but he was exhausted from his battle with Russell and his body wasn't healing as quickly as he needed to.

Russell dashed into the damaged room with a grin. "Well now, I think you and I have finally come to the end of our long road together, Eric."

Eric scoffed. "You cheated the True Death. Maybe I'll find a way back to settle the score."

"Wouldn't be settling the score," Russell reminded him. "You killed me once, and now I'm killin' you once. That's Even Stevens."

"Are you gonna kill me or just bore me to death with technicalities?" Eric said wearily.

"Sassy to the bitter end," Russell said. "I admire that. Truly. Now then, I would tell you to say hello to Talbot for me, but I think _you're_ goin' to a much worse place."

Eric growled at the disrespect, but Russell gave him no time to respond before plunging one of the wooden shards he'd held onto into Eric's heart. Eric cried out in pain as blood spurted from his chest, and his entire body popped like a water balloon, sending blood and goo everywhere, splattering all over Russell.

Russell let out a triumphant laugh. "Well that felt even better than I thought it would."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning is for graphic depictions of violence, cannibalism, and character death, though, honestly, if you've read this far in the fic, you probably are already okay with that lol.
> 
> Eric Northman is from True Blood.


	28. The Lord of Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you're going to want to be familiar with the song "Night Surgeon" from Repo! the Genetic Opera.
> 
> Huge shout out and thank you to my friend JCmorrigan for helping me alter the lyrics to the song in this chapter. Most of the clever word play and structure came from her, and I can't thank her enough for her help. Go check out her AO3 for more villainous fanfics like mine. Trust me, she's a GREAT writer :)

"NEWLIN!" Cruella shrieked as she stormed into Steve's office.

Steve cringed but tried to put on a friendly face. "What can I do ya for, Cruella?"

"Oh spare me the pleasantries," Cruella barked, blowing considerable cigarette smoke into Steve's face. "Why are there dozens of unwashed barbarians out in the street, running amok like rats?"

"Ah," Steve said as he put away his paperwork. "Those would be the Horned King's men. Apparently life in Prydain hasn't exactly been workin' out for them since the Horned King died, and they were happy to pledge loyalty to us in exchange for quarter."

"Forgive me if I have less than fond feelings towards the bag of bones who held us hostage in our own castle," Cruella sneered.

"Understandably so," Steve said as he got up from his desk and put his arm around Cruella. "But these fine men out there were just as much prisoners of the Horned King as y'all were, and they have the added bonus of bein' ruthless, dumb as bricks, and useful cannon fodder in any fight we find ourselves in. Look, Cruella, lemme show ya somethin'."

Steve escorted Cruella out of the castle and into the dark city of the Overtaken Kingdom. The young vampire gestured at the streets filled with empty, unoccupied buildings.

"Maleficent calls our world the Overtaken Kingdom, but aside from the goblin barracks, it's really just a bunch of empty buildings aside from the Eminence Palace and the House of Villains," Steve said. "It was an empty world we took from Xehanort, and it's still empty. We've got all this territory and no subjects to rule over."

"True enough, I suppose," Cruella shrugged. "But it's not as if we haven't conquered other territories. We have Olympus, Agrabah, Atlantica, and Latveria, then we also have Hook as the Pirate King of the Caribbean and Grimmie as the power behind the throne in Orlais."

"That's true, but this is our _capital_ city," Steve argued. "And thus it should be a beacon of the darkness we're offerin' to all the worlds! So, if ya ask me, we need a populace who shares our taste for the dark to be an example to everybody else. Ah! Here we are!"

Steve gestured towards what appeared to be a courthouse building with distinctly different architecture from the rest of the city. It was situated behind a courtyard with immaculate landscaping. Cruella was sure it hadn't been here before and regarded the building with suspicion. Steve escorted Cruella down a cobblestone path through the courtyard past a large fountain in the shape of Maleficent's dragon form. When they arrived at the front doors, the doors crept open by themselves, and the two Overtakers entered the foyer.

"Knock knock, guys!" Steve called out.

"Newlin! Good to see you popping in!" Governor Ratcliffe said as he came strolling down the hall.

From behind him, Lady Tremaine and the Big Bad Wolf followed. Tremaine's cat Lucifer was cradled in her arms, but upon seeing Cruella again, Lucifer hissed, jumped down, and scurried off into another room.

"Oh goodie, it's Tremaine," Cruella said with a sneer. "I see the diet in prison did nothing to help that wretched double-chin of yours, darling."

Lady Tremaine's glare in response was venomous. "Nor has time dulled the stench of cigarettes and gin that seems to linger around you."

"You say that as if it were something to be ashamed of," Cruella snapped.

The Big Bad Wolf laughed. "If you broads start fightin', I got money on the one in the furs. I like her style!"

"Cruella, these are the visiting dignitaries I was showin' around the castle a few weeks ago," Steve interjected, hoping to prevent any bloodshed. "They've been workin' with me on this project of makin' the Overtaken Kingdom a refuge for villains from across the universe to come live and operate. The Big Bad Wolf here is the Secretary of Housing and Urban development, in charge of construction and demolition projects to make sure everything is in workin' order."

"I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll BLOWWWW down any buildings not up to code!" the Big Bad Wolf declared.

"Lady Tremaine is gonna be our Secretary of Labor," Steve continued. "She's gonna make sure everyone who comes to live in our kingdom is workin' and pullin' the fair share of the weight and doin' it right."

"I have an _extensive_ list of tasks to assign," Lady Tremaine said with a sly smile. "I tolerate absolutely _no_ laziness, and I shall work hardest of all _supervising_ the others."

"And then Governor Ratcliffe is going to be the governor of the Overtaken Kingdom," Steve finished. "Obviously, the Overtakers will still have primary authority over everything, but Ratcliffe'll manage the day to day governing of the city from law enforcement to taxation."

"Precisely," Ratcliffe said with a smirk. "Oh, and Tremaine, I _would_ help with those tasks of yours, but I've got this crick in me spine!"

"Mmhmm," Cruella said as she crossed her arms. "And what does Maleficent think of all of this, Newlin?"

"Well, ya see, she, uh, doesn't quite know yet," Steve admitted. " _But_ I'm sure she'll be thrilled!"

Cruella let out a harsh laugh. "Oh this is going to be _delicious_ to watch go down in flames."

* * *

After using their first card and crossing the threshold from the hallway of Floor Seven, Zurg and Trakeena found themselves in what appeared to be an exact replica of Planet Z's observation deck. Zurg Tower loomed overhead with a giant ray gun attached at the top and a red tinted industrial wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Ooh, this is cutting edge!" Zurg declared. "Memory reading holographic virtual reality! Why didn't I ever think of that?"

"Because it's actually a _smart_ idea?" Trakeena offered.

"Oh hush, as if _you've_ ever come up with a scientifically genius plot," Zurg huffed before turning back to admiring his surroundings. "Hmmm, let's see... the vanishing point is two degrees different from the one back home... I wonder..."

Zurg took out his ion blaster and fired a powerful blast of energy directly for the horizon. The blast collided with a wall, creating a scorch mark that seemed to hover in mid-air in the middle of the horizon.

"Just as I thought: the hologram is operating within the physical parameters of the room," Zurg said, "which means we won't be able to shortcut our way to the top of the tower."

"What makes you think we'll even need to get to the top of the tower?" Trakeena asked.

"This memory is from the time I was on the precipice of VICTORY!" Zurg declared. "When I had obtained the Unimind! Unfortunately, Lightyear thwarted my ingenious plot, and that happened up top! That's the end of the memory, and thus that'll be the end of the holographic virtual reality. It's really quite simple."

"Ugh, why did this job have to become that much more complicated?" Trakeena asked. "If Xemnas could be anywhere in the castle, and navigating the castle requires activating illusions of our memories, how can we even hope to find him?"

"Oh if this illusion is as real as it seems, I happen to have a way," Zurg said with a chuckle as he pressed a button on the wrist of his gauntlets.

And even Trakeena had to admit that she was impressed when dozens of Hornet robots began to exit the tower and stood at attention awaiting a command from their master.

"Hornets! Search the premises for Xemnas!" Zurg ordered. "Vaporize anyone in one of those tacky black trench coats with extreme prejudice!!"

The Hornets obeyed and dispersed to scan the entire area. Trakeena groaned at the all-too-proud-of-himself expression on Zurg's face.

"HA! Beat THAT!" he said with a laugh.

* * *

The Jolly Roger sailed into Storybrooke harbor under the cover of nightfall. Hook could see the quaint little town that had once been his prison growing larger through his spyglass.

"I trust _you_ have a more proactive plan," Loki said as he approached Hook. "I never would have embarked upon Russell's excursion had I known his intentions were to dive in head first and level a city in the process."

"You say that as though you couldn't have predicted as much," Hook said with a scoff.

"True enough," Loki admitted.

"Were my ears burnin'?" Russell asked with a sly grin.

"Hook was just about to explain his plan for vengeance," Loki replied. "You may proceed."

"Once we dock, I'll need you to use magic to cloak my ship," Hook said. "Give us the element of surprise. Rumplestiltskin's my primary concern, but if we draw attention to our presence too quickly, Emma and Regina will be underfoot. Now that the Crocodile's no longer the Dark One and I have the powers of a Blackguard, I can handle him personally. However, he's still got magic thanks to an enchanted rose, and I'd like to guarantee my victory a bit more securely. So Loki, once I've gotten the Crocodile out of the way, you'll sneak into his shop, find the rose, and destroy it."

"Mere child's play," Loki said with a laugh.

"Russell, my task for you is one I think you'll take to like a fish to the sea," Hook explained. "I can't have the Charmings interfering, so I'll need you to distract them. Create whatever chaos you want, but do _not_ kill Emma, Regina, or Baelfire. Everyone else is fair game."

"Oh this is gonna be fun!" Russell declared. "Though I understand you wantin' to keep Emma for yourself, but why the sudden interest in Regina and Baelfire?"

"I'm not _completely_ heartless," Hook argued. "I have my attachments. Regina's stuck in the same farce of a 'redemption' that kept me down for so long, and I think she can be made to see the light in the darkness. Bae, on the other hand, is all I have left of Milah, and I _won't_ lose him again."

"Understood," Russell nodded. "I'll keep my hands off."

"Well planned," Loki chimed in. "It's lacking the extent of subterfuge I usually indulge in, but you're already standing tall over Russell."

"Hey, I killed him, didn't I?" Russell asked.

"That you did," Loki sneered. " _Loudly_ and _publicly_."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin flipped the sign on his door from OPEN to CLOSED. He'd meant to close up the shop a few hours earlier, but he'd gotten caught up cultivating a new spell and forgotten himself. Belle would be frustrated that he'd lost track of time again, but it was ultimately worth it. However, suddenly the stench of darkness in the room became very potent, and Rumplestiltskin couldn't deny that the scent made him miss the power of the dagger. He knew someone had appeared in the room without even having to turn around.

"Sorry, dearie, but we're closed," Rumplestiltskin said with a sneer as he turned around.

The sight that greeted him was certainly an unpleasant one: Hook was sitting smugly atop the display case grinning wickedly. There was something different about him, and he seemed more powerful. However, Rumplestiltskin refused to let that shake him.

"You certainly are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" Rumplestiltskin asked as he crossed the room towards Hook. "I thought our little encounter at the town line last time would have made you learn your lesson about crossing me."

"Aye, it did," Hook said as he hopped down from the counter. "Which is why I went and got some new power to take you on. I trust you've heard tale of a true Blackguard."

"Indeed," Rumplestiltskin replied with a sneer. "And now you've come for your revenge."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Hook admitted as he held up his hook. "For this lovely attachment, I think I'll take your hand. For Milah, your heart. For turning me into your slave and trying to sacrifice me to that hat of yours... Hmm... I think your _head_ will do quite nicely!"

"So what are you waiting for?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "Get on with it... _if_ you think you can match _my_ magic."

"Ah, _no_ , I've been waiting _centuries_ for this moment," Hook replied, milking the moment for all it was worth. "And I really want to... _savor_ it. After all...."

Hook plucked one of the swords that was sitting on the rack behind the counter and slid it across the floor towards Rumplestiltskin.

"... We never had a chance to finish our duel," Hook said before putting on a flamboyant persona meant as a mockery of Rumplestiltskin. "Get your affairs in order, dearie, for we duel at dawn on my ship...," Hook's expression then turned dark. " _Where it all began_."

"How poetic," Rumplestiltskin sneered. "But you've yet to give _me_ a reason not to kill you now."

Hook laughed. "So glad you brought that up. You remember my friends, the Overtakers? If you harm me or try to otherwise weasel your blackhearted way out of our duel, they will gut your precious Belle... Oh how was it you said it last time? Oh yes! _Like-a-de'-fish!_ "

Rumplestiltskin smirked. "I do hope I was never this irritating back when I was the Dark One."

"Well what say you, Crocodile?" Hook asked. "Shall we finish what we started?"

Rumplestiltskin's face darkened. "Indeed."

Hook's grin turned devilish as he vanished into a swirl of darkness.

* * *

"We'll cover more ground and stand a better chance of finding the Demons if we split up," Riddler announced to the group.

"Don't you know the rules of horror movies?" Kieran asked. "You never go off alone. That's when people like me pick you off one by one."

"To be fair, _we're_ the monsters that lurk in the dark," Venom pointed out. "We can probably afford to break a few rules."

"Then let's do teams of two to hedge our bets," Penguin suggested. "Ed and I can take one direction. You and Sid can take the other."

Venom shrugged. "Works for us."

"Agreed," Kieran nodded.

"We meet back at this spot in one hour if we don't find anything," Riddler said. " _One_ hour."

With their plan devised, the two teams of two went their separate ways. After a few minutes of walking, Sid dismissed the Venom symbiote back into his necklace.

"No sense staying on high alert," Sid said with a grin.

Kieran nodded and removed his mask and hood so that his face was exposed. "Yeah, probably easier to just talk this way."

"Hey, um, can I ask you a fucked up personal question?" Sid asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, of course," Kieran replied. "What's up?"

"What was it like when you, uh, y'know, first... _killed_ somebody?" Sid asked, not making eye-contact when he did.

"I was scared shitless," Kieran admitted. "It was just some guy I went to school with down in Atlanta who Piper helped me kill as a test run for Lakewood. I saw the blood all over my hands and all over my knife, and I was like 'Holy shit, this is wrong' because that's what we're all taught all our lives. But the thing was it didn't _feel_ wrong. It felt...."

"Awesome," Sid offered. "And the fact that it felt so awesome made you feel even guiltier."

Kieran nodded. "Yeah. But Piper was there with me, and she taught me that killing is the most natural thing in the world. The thrill of the hunt, of being the predator and stalking your prey. It's inside all of us, and it's fucking great! It's way more fun than therapy!"

"I... _we_ bit that guy's head off back there," Sid said. "And it was fucking disgusting, but something about it just felt so... freeing. Like, fuck, I just thought of all the times my dad wailed on me, and as fucked up as it is, it felt really _really_ good to be the one doing the wailing this time."

A devilish grin crept onto Kieran's face. "You get it! Don't fight it! It's what makes us the apex predators! I knew you were like me from the moment I met you!"

"Yeah, well, I guess Maleficent's recruitment drive has a type," Sid said with a laugh. "Fucked up kids."

Kieran laughed. "Yeah. Probably. But, listen, don't be afraid of yourself. The symbiote knows who you are inside, and it's helping you become the person you were always meant to be."

_Kiss him, you know you want to_. The symbiote whispered in Sid's head.

"Shut up," Sid grumbled under his breath.

"Huh?" Kieran asked.

"Not you. I meant the symbiote," Sid said awkwardly. "He... uh... wants corndogs."

_We don't want corndogs!_ The symbiote whispered. _We want you to stop being a loser and kiss the guy you like_.

"Whoa! Did you see that?" Kieran asked as he pointed at the water.

"No, what was it?" Sid asked.

_Your opportunity passing_. The symbiote hissed.

"It was the biggest catfish I've ever seen," Kieran said.

"And you scared it away!" an angry voice shouted from the bushes.

An old man with long blonde hair, tattered clothes, and a necklace made of alligator teeth stepped out of the brush. As he got closer, it was apparent that one of his eyes was wooden. Following after him was a big and mean looking boar that seemed to be his pet. Though unbeknownst to Sid or Kieran, this old man was Snakebite Scruggs, the last remaining resident of Moonscar Island.

"I finally had Big Mona in my sights, and you two tourists done shooed it off!" Snakebite snapped. "I oughta teach you young fruits a lesson!"

Kieran scowled at Snakebite and turned to Sid. "Ready for your second kill?"

"Might as well be," Sid shrugged.

The Venom symbiote slithered out of the necklace, and Sid transformed into Venom, letting out a vicious roar. The boar squealed out in fear and ran in the other direction.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Snakebite screamed as he tried to run away.

Venom grabbed the old man with his webs and yanked him back over to where he and Kieran were standing.

"Now what shall we do with you?" Venom mused aloud.

"He wanted that catfish," Kieran pointed out. "Maybe we should give him a better look."

Venom laughed. "Oh we like the way you think."

Snakebite kicked and screamed as Venom and Kieran waded out into the shallows of the bayou. Then, with a powerful thrust, Venom shoved Snakebite's head underwater. Kieran grabbed onto him as well and helped Venom hold the old man underwater. Logically, Kieran knew that Venom was strong enough to hold old Snakebite down by himself. However, Kieran liked having a hand in the murder, and he knew that this early in Sid's killing endeavors, it would be more palatable if half the blame could go to someone else. Eventually, Snakebite's body went limp, and the two were able to let his lifeless corpse go. Venom shoved him off into the bayou to be dinner for some alligators later.

"That was fucking AWESOME!" Sid said as Venom retreated back into his body. "We fucking did that together!"

"I know! It was so fucking hot!" Kieran said.

"I mean, like FUCK!" Sid said with a laugh. "That was... that was...."

Sid glanced down and noticed that Kieran was hard beneath his robes, and Sid had to admit that he was pretty hard beneath his jeans. Remembering the symbiote's recommendation from before, Sid followed his instincts and leaned in to kiss Kieran. Before either of them knew it, they were making out with one another, neither one breaking for air.

_About time_. The symbiote whispered smugly.

After a few moments, Kieran pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily.

"Is everything alright?" Sid asked, suddenly growing concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," Kieran said. "I just... I've never kissed a guy before. I've always thought I was straight, but, like, with you it's... different."

"It's different with you too," Sid said. "Like, fuck, I've been with guys before, but you and me are something different from that. Like I've never killed anybody before, and that's a new thing to me too. So like you've got experience where I don't, and vice versa."

"Yeah, so I guess we're both kinda in uncharted waters here," Kieran said before grinning. "It's like I'm your Piper for the killing thing, and you're my Piper for the gay thing. I like it!"

Sid laughed. "Me too!"

Kieran leaned in closer for another kiss, but he did so slowly and gingerly, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Sid's face. Sid, taking the initiative, pressed his mouth against Kieran's, eager for another taste of the other man. And for a moment under the harvest moon in the bayou, everything was simply perfect.

From the other side of the bushes, Penguin and Riddler watched this all transpire.

Penguin grinned and whispered, "I knew it!"

* * *

Maleficent and Ursula exited the memory-based illusion of Floor Eleven and entered into the final corridor before the entrance to the twelfth floor.

"If only Sora and Ariel were that easy to kill in reality," Ursula bemoaned.

"At the very least, destroying the memories of them was cathartic," Maleficent remarked.

"Very true!" Ursula agreed. "Now if only Xemnas would show his yellow-eyed mug around here. We could put him out of commission _permanently_."

"I wouldn't bet on it," an angry voice called out.

Maleficent and Ursula both glanced up to see Riku standing in front of them. However, rather than the older and taller Riku they'd battled with before, this Riku was younger and shorter and looked exactly like Riku had when he was under Maleficent's control. His purple and black body armor looked the same as the one Maleficent had gifted him when he first gave into the darkness. Castle Oblivion messed with the memories of all inside it, but the castle's illusions were usually relegated to the floors created by cards, making this young Riku feel drastically out of place.

"Well, well, if it isn't the boy who turned away from the darkness," Maleficent cooed.

That seemed to immediately enrage Riku. "Do NOT mistake me for that weakling who's afraid of the dark! _I'm_ not afraid of _anything_ , and I embrace the darkness!"

This took Maleficent off guard. "How intriguing. And who, pray tell, _are_ you?"

"I'm the better version of Riku!" he answered. "And I'm _not_ just a shadow either."

"Seems like some sort of doppelgänger to me," Ursula whispered to Maleficent before turning to the fake Riku. "Tell me, babycakes, do you know who we are?"

The Riku Replica clenched his teeth. "Yeah. Maleficent and Ursula. I've got all of the real Riku's memories. You were the bitter old hags who used him to get the Keyblade."

"Oh 'used' is such a dirty word," Ursula said. "We included him in our original roster of the Overtakers. Not our fault he had too much of a conscience to stick with it."

"If you are truly a version of Riku who embraces the darkness, then you are not our enemy," Maleficent argued. "I granted him the darkness to begin with. He was like a son to me, and you can be as well."

The Replica scoffed and drew his sword. "Sorry, but I'm under orders to take you down. And once I do, I'll have the kind of strength the real Riku could _never_ have!"

"How pitiful," Maleficent sneered as she drew her staff. "Very well then. Face your DOOM!"

Maleficent outstretched her arms, unleashing waves of green fire all across the battle field that the Replica skittered away from to avoid being singed by the flames. Green fire coated both walls, casting an eerie glow upon the hallway. The Replica charged towards the two witches, his sword drawn high.

"Get ready for this!" Ursula warned as she blew magical bubbles towards the Replica.

The Replica charged himself up with darkness and began to swirl around swinging his sword, unleashing a Dark Maelstrom. The Replica popped the bubbles harmlessly and sliced out at Ursula's tentacles before unleashing a blast of darkness upon her, causing the sea witch to recoil in pain. Maleficent's staff charged with magic, and with a swing of her staff, she hurled a bolt of lightning at the Replica. He did a hand-spring to evade the blast, and the bolt only barely missed its mark.

"Slippery little morsel," Ursula sneered.

"He shall not evade me this time!" Maleficent swore.

"You won't get the chance!" the Replica shouted as he leaped into the air and attempted to bring his blade down on Maleficent's head.

Maleficent, however, vanished into a flurry of green flames, leaving the Replica to fall harmlessly to the ground. Ursula wasted no time blasting the distracted Replica with her trident, striking him with lightning and hurling him into the wall of flames. The Replica cried out in pain as he quickly tried to stumble away from the wall. A few feet away, Maleficent rematerialized and the tip of her staff began to glow as she began to work her hypnosis magic.

"There is no need for us to fight," Maleficent whispered into the Replica's mind. "Xemnas is a poor ally indeed. He only wants to use you and then discard you once your usefulness has run its course. I, on the other hand, have gathered many likeminded villains amongst my ranks. Join me, and I can provide you with more power than you could ever dream of! Turn on your masters!"

The Replica clutched the sides of his head and began to scream. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

A patch of darkness appeared under the Replica's feet and slithered quickly over to position itself underneath Maleficent. Ursula noticed, but Maleficent did not.

"Mal! Watch out!" Ursula yelled.

Thinking quickly, Ursula grabbed Maleficent with one of her tentacles and pulled the evil fairy out of the way just in time to avoid being stabbed by four dark pincers that emerged from the darkness. However, in doing so, Maleficent's concentration was broken, allowing the Replica to banish the hypnosis from his mind. Injured and frazzled, the Replica quickly retreated into a Corridor of Darkness.

"Curses! He escaped!" Maleficent said as she staggered back to her feet.

"He won't get far," Ursula assured her. "Don't worry, we'll get another crack at 'im!"

"Yes...," Maleficent mused as she glanced up ahead. "But perhaps _that_ is what concerns me."

* * *

" _This_ is Hercules's best friend?" Jafar asked with a sneer of disgust as he looked at the strange young man chained to the chair.

"You say that as though your adversary didn't keep company with a _monkey_ ," Doom pointed out.

" _Monkey?_ COOL! ... Uh... Where is the monkey?" Icarus asked.

"I see the legends of him flying too close to the sun are all too true," Doom remarked. "His brain has been fried past the point of any sensibility."

"That's true, as far as you know....," Icarus said. "ANYWAY! My buddy Herc won't quit until he's rescued me from your vile clutches, buddies!"

"Muzzle him, please," Fish requested. "He's starting to give me a headache."

Jafar rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. In a flash of red magic, an iron gag wrapped itself around Icarus's mouth, silencing the young man.

"This had better work, Grimhilde," Doom sneered.

"It _shall_ ," Grimhilde assured her companion. "As I told you before, we must remind Hades of his true nature. This whelp is but a small part of it. Now leave him, and follow me!"

Grimhilde threw open the doors leading into Hades's palace and beckoned for Jafar, Doom, and Fish to follow her down the halls until they arrived at Hades's throne room. Hades was exactly where Grimhilde had left him: slumped lazily in his throne, moping about with at least seven empty glasses of nectar next to him. Hades perked up when he saw newcomers entering his throne room, but he quickly slumped back over when he saw who it was.

"Oy, it's you lot," Hades griped. "I know Pain, Panic, and Cerberus couldn't stop you guys if they tried, but I mean, really, did they _even_ try?"

"They're worried about you, and so are we," Fish said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, spare me the Doctor Phil spiel," Hades scoffed. "I already told Malef that I'm nothin' but a big flamin' softie who doesn't deserve all the power of the cosmos, so count me out! Now, as they say, best be on your way!"

"Doom orders you to stop indulging in your misery!" Doom bellowed.

"Oh Doom orders, eh? Lemme think about that... NO!" Hades replied.

"Did you actually believe that would work?" Jafar asked with a roll of his eyes.

"There is no purpose or logic behind this disgusting display!" Doom argued. "We have seen time and time again that Hades's mettle is the stuff of legends! That he has allowed himself to be reduced to _this_ is sickening."

"I'm just full of surprises, aren't I?" Hades asked. "Guess you folks didn't really know me at all."

"No, we knew you _quite_ well," Grimhilde said. "Doom is correct. We have seen your mettle time and time again! We know that you are powerful and as mean as you are ruthless!"

"I've known you longer than anyone else in this room," Jafar added. "You've always been a villain through and through!"

"DON'T YOU YUTZES GET IT?" Hades asked, briefly flaring back up in a way that gave his allies hope that there was a flicker of his old spark left in him. "I got knocked flat on my tuchus by the Firebird, and then I didn't even have the stomach to axe my ex when I had her RIGHT THERE at my mercy. Does that sound like a villain with mettle to ya? HEH? No, didn't think so!"

"One moment of weakness doesn't have to define you," Fish pointed out. "You are who you _choose_ to be. And I just can't see the powerful man who brought me back from the dead letting himself become some self-loathing shell of his former self."

"But what if I still love her?" Hades asked. "Yeah, you heard me, maybe I still _love_ Persephone, deep down."

Doom shook his head. "No. You do not."

"Oh yeah, and how would you know?" Hades snapped.

"Because I have been where you are," Doom admitted. "In my youth I loved a woman named Valeria. Our love was doomed to failure, and though my affections for her never truly extinguished themselves, I still took her life to forge her flesh into a mystical armor for myself. It was a difficult decision that still haunts my darkest nightmares, yet the existence of such infernal emotions no more invalidates my love for Loki than do they invalidate your love for Maleficent."

"But you actually axed Valeria," Hades pointed out. "Not the same thing."

"And you destroyed Persephone the first time," Doom argued. "That she returned is irrelevant. What you did _before_ is the true Hades, not this simpering fool who sits before me!"

"Besides, Persephone never would have truly loved you," Jafar interjected. "She would never approve of your villainous deeds. Just ask Hook what that feels like, and you'll learn quite quickly that it's not a path you wish to pursue."

"You must remember who you are!" Grimhilde urged. "We need you to embrace yourself as you were meant to be! We need you to harness the power of Erebus!"

" _Erebus?_ " Hades asked. "No, no, no, no, that stuff is the _reason_ Persephone hated me."

"It's also the stuff that's gonna restart the Cauldron for Maleficent, your _real_ love!" Fish countered. "You _have_ to do this."

Hades looked away. "I can't do this one."

Grimhilde clutched Hades's shoulders firmly as she whispered. "Remember who you are. Remember what you've done for Darkness!"

Grimhilde nodded to signal to her companions that now was the time to act. They all four worked together and shuffled Hades out the door from his throne room and down the staircase. Hades just limply let it happen, not really having it in him to fight back.

" _Dear_ _Persephone,_ _I am so sorry,_ " Hades whispered under his breath. " _Can you forgive me for this?_ "

The door out to the Valley of the Dead swung open, and the four Overtakers pushed Hades out. He fell to his hands and knees in front of Icarus, who was still chained to the chair where the Overtakers had left him. The green river of souls behind him cast the entire area in an eerie green glow.

" _Not the death doctor with the thirsty river,_ " Grimhilde sang as a heavy guitar riff began to play from regions beyond. " _Here's my prognosis: will they live?_ "

" _Never_ ," Doom answered flatly.

" _You're the dark mortician,_ " Jafar joined in. " _Dolling up corpses!_ "

" _He'll paint your ass like Parrhasius,_ " Fish said as she ran her hand across Icarus's shoulder. " _Ha! You like this?_ "

" _Better start praying when you see him coming,_ " Grimhilde warned.

" _Cause you'll breathe your last breath!_ " Jafar hissed at Icarus.

" _You're the Lord of Death!_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar sang together in unison.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom whispered in Hades's ear.

" _I remember,_ " Hades murmured.

" _Remember what you did for Darkness,_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar sang together.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom whispered in Hades's ear.

" _I remember,_ " Hades sang a little louder this time.

" _Remember what you did!_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar urged.

" _See your fire!_ " Grimhilde sang as she removed a flicker of flame from Hades's hair to show him.

" _Light his pyre!_ " Jafar urged as he gestured to a terrified Icarus.

" _Fate so dire,_ " Fish said as she looked smugly upon Icarus.

" _Who's your Lord of Death?_ " Grimhilde asked the struggling Icarus, who tried to gesture towards Hades.

" _Though your story was so sad,_ " Jafar sang mockingly as he brought back up Persephone.

" _It was 'antio sas,'_ " Fish sang with a coy wave.

" _Broke her like ceramic!_ " Grimhilde reminded Hades.

" _ANNI-HI-LA-TION!_ " the three sang together.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom sang louder behind Hades.

" _I remember,_ " Hades sang as he rose to his feet.

" _Remember what you did for Darkness,_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar repeated.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom repeated.

" _I remember,_ " Hades sang, now at full volume.

" _Remember what you did to her!_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar urged.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom repeated for a third time.

" _I remember,_ " Hades sang, now practically yelling.

" _Remember what you did for Darkness,_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar sang as they danced around Hades.

" _Remember who you are,_ " Doom repeated one final time.

" _I REMEMBER!_ " Hades yelled, stretching out the note.

" _Remember what you did to her!_ " Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar hissed as they all moved away from Hades.

" _I remember every dying whisper,_ " Hades began to sing, " _every desperate murmur. I remember when I gazed upon her... she infuriates me. I remember. I remember!_ "

Hades's flames turned from blue to bright orange as he flared up for the next verse. Doom, Grimhilde, Fish, and Jafar continued their choruses in the background as Hades sang.

" _I remember making her my victim with acute precision,_ " Hades continued. " _I remember every soul in my world, my damned companions. When I remember... I dismember!_ "

Icarus looked horrified as the look in Hades's eye became twisted and turned on him. The other four Overtakers continued to egg him on greedily.

" _‘Cause the ones who died got no formaldehyde!_ " Hades sang wickedly as he began to unleash his flames upon Icarus, the young man's muffled screams soothing Hades's immortal soul. " _Herky's friend assortment gets the death god treatment! I’m the morbid horror at your local agora! Make your momma mourn you!_ "

As Hades unleashed the final flame, charring Icarus to the bone, he sang out, " _I'm the...,_ "

" _LORD OF DEATH!_ " all five Overtakers sang together.

As the flames cleared and the charred remains of Icarus were all that was left of the boy, Hades cooled back down to blue for a final line. " _I remember...._ "

The four Overtakers waited on baited breath for Hades to turn around. Once he finally did, his grin was positively wicked, filling his four allies with hope.

"Now...," Hades began. "How 'bout that Erebus?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snakebite Scruggs is from Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.


	29. Never Smile at a Crocodile

Sid and Kieran returned to the rendezvous point where Penguin and Riddler were already waiting. The two of them looked smug as if they knew something that Sid and Kieran did not.

"Did you two find Mr. Negative?" Kieran asked.

"No, the demons must've hopped off world," Riddler concluded. "Not a trace anywhere in the vicinity."

"Then we have no reason to fuck around on this world anymore," Sid replied. "Let's head back to the castle and figure out how to catch up with him and get Ursula's thing back."

"No ulterior motives for you two wanting to get back?" Penguin said slyly. "None at all?"

"What are you implying?" Kieran asked.

"What always _tastes_ better than it _smells_?" Riddler posed his riddle. "A tongue. In this case, Sid's inside your mouth."

Both Kieran and Sid instantly became sheepish and began to feel quite awkward.

"At least neither of us ever tried to murder the other," Sid grumbled under his breath.

The four Overtakers were too caught up in their teasing to notice a tendril of green mists descending from up above and soaking itself into the ground.

"I’m spread out before being eaten. Your tongue gets me off. Kieran sometimes licks my nuts. What am I?" Riddler asked.

"Oh! Easy! It's Sid!" Penguin suggested smugly.

"No, it's peanut butter, but you were close enough," Riddler said with a laugh.

"You two are fucking immature," Kieran huffed.

"Wait, I've got another one!" Riddler said with a smug grin. "I go in hard but come out soft, and I never mind if you want to blow me. What am I?"

"Now _that_ one sounds like Kieran," Penguin answered with a laugh.

"He does have that in common with _bubblegum_ , doesn't he?" Riddler asked. "That was the actual answer for the ignoramouses among us."

Kieran rolled his eyes and summoned up a Corridor of Darkness. Sid put his arm around Kieran's shoulder and escorted him through the portal, not bothering to look back at the Gotham rogues... otherwise they might've thought to warn them about what was rising from the ground behind them.

"Wait, wait, I've got one!" Penguin said to Riddler whilst stifling a laugh. "You find me in Kieran's pants. I'm about six inches long, I have a head, and Sid loves to blow me. What am I?"

"I see what you're going for, but I think we _both_ know Kieran doesn't actually have a single dollar bill in his pocket," Riddler said before he and Penguin both burst out laughing.

Their laughs muffled the sound of moaning and footsteps coming from behind them.

"But seriously, this entire excursion was a waste of time," Riddler said. "Also, I have to reiterate that I told you so before about your intuition being misplaced. There was nothing particularly spooky about this place."

Penguin shook his head. "Who would have guessed that a place colloquially known as Zombie Island wouldn't end up having any zomb-"

Something tapped Penguin and Riddler on the shoulders.

The two villains slowly turned around to see a pair of grotesque rotting faces staring back at them. The zombies groaned mournfully as they raised their withered arms to grab at the pair. Penguin and Riddler turned to each other, screamed, and then ran as fast as they could through the Corridor of Darkness.

* * *

Hades escorted Grimhilde, Jafar, Fish, and Doom out to the end of the Underworld Caverns in an area known as the Lock. Beyond the Lock was a sprawling blackness lined by torches that seemed to go on for infinity. Hades approached the edge looking out at the blackness and gestured dramatically at the darkness.

"Well, here ya are: Erebus," Hades declared. "Darkness as far as the eye can see. Love to see it!"

Grimhilde clapped her hands, "Bring forth the cauldron."

Jafar extended his arms and created a swirling vortex of red magic in front of him that summoned the Black Cauldron from the Eminence Palace.

"So how exactly do we get the darkness from there to the cauldron?" Fish asked.

"Hades, if you'd care to do the honors," Doom beckoned.

"Sure thing, babe. Watch this, Fishy, you'll plotz! Badda-BING!" Hades said as he unleashed blue flames into the cauldron, causing it to bubble with blue magic. "Badda-BOOM!" Hades threw a blue fireball into the Erebus. "Badda-HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME! HA!"

Hades snapped his fingers and to two magics created a tendril of energy intertwining the two points. Jet black Erebus twisted and twirled through the air and began to empty itself into the cauldron. Yet, despite the black shade of the power being channeled, the light emanating from the cauldron remained a bright shade of blue.

"It's _working!_ " Jafar declared with a cackle. "All the powers of evil at our disposal!"

"The most ancient of all darknesses," Hades remarked. "This stuff was old when my dad was King of Olympus. Do NOT touch it! This stuff has an appetite that puts Ursula to shame."

"I'm going to tell her you said that," Fish warned.

"This stuff can eat through a universe if you get enough of it," Hades continued. "Can overtake ya too. Make you into a livin' nightmare. After Zeus and Demeter annulled my shotgun wedding to Persephone, I tried to use the Erebus to keep her there. A handful of pomegranate seeds imbued with raw Erebus would've made 'Seph toxic to any place outside of the Underworld. Zeusy would've had no choice but to make her stay in the Underworld. It was all so perfectly planned."

"Evidently not," Grimhilde suggested.

"Guess so, because Zeus caught wind of my plan," Hades admitted. "He knocked me and the seeds into the Phlegethon to 'save' Persephone. Never mind what that all-infused mineral bath did to his baby brother. But, hey, some cosmetic changes end up bein' for the best."

Hades ran his fingers through his fiery hair thoughtfully, and the other four instantly understood what had happened.

"So, what's Maleficent doin'?" Hades asked. "The fact that she's not with you four means she's off who knows where doin' gods only know what."

"Xemnas escaped while you were gone," Doom answered. "Maleficent went to retrieve him."

"WHAT? XEMNAS ESCAPED AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?" Hades asked, flaring up to bright red in anger.

"There were more pressing matters," Doom said flatly.

"And _what_ are you five doin' here?" Hades asked. " _Xemnas_ is on the loose and you let Malef go it alone!"

"She _isn't_ alone," Fish assured him. "Ursula went with her. And she's also got Frollo, Amora, Zurg, Trakeena, Kingpin, and the Insidious Six with her. I'd hardly call that _alone_."

"Her allies are powerful enough," Jafar said as he placed a hand on Hades's shoulder. "They'll be more than a match for a fool like _Xemnas_."

Hades stopped in his tracks but ultimately nodded. "Yeah. Right. You're right. Gotta let her do her thing her way. Sheesh, I missed a lot. Probably should give an olive branch to Russell too while I'm at it. Where did he, Loki, and Hook end up, by the way? Back at the castle?"

Jafar shook his head. "Not quite."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin strutted onto the deck of the Jolly Roger as the first light of dawn was peaking over the horizon. The beginning of the day and the end of someone's life. It was certainly poetic. Rumplestiltskin knew quite well that it would be unwise to underestimate Hook, especially with his new powers, but Rumple and the captain had a long history. He wanted to best Hook in a fair sword fight, and Hook's notions of "good form" would bind him to such terms.

"I wasn't sure you'd show," Hook remarked as he strutted into view.

"And miss my chance to take your other hand?" Rumple asked.

"Cowardice is, after all, your stock and trade," Hook replied.

Rumple smirked. "Always hiding behind that well-worn insult. Yet I'm not afraid of everything. In fact, I think your fear is going to be more pertinent."

Rumple snapped his fingers and a loud ticking noise echoed throughout the air. Hook's expression darkened, and when he peered over the edge of the ship, he saw the enchanted crocodile waiting hungrily in the water.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Hook snapped. "In fact, I've always wanted to feed a crocodile to _another_ crocodile."

Rumple strolled further onto the deck. "I would've thought you'd have had this place scrubbed better. It's been centuries since I stood here a mortal, and it still looks exactly the same."

"You mean when I took Milah," Hook offered smugly. "I remember thinking that day, what type of sad little man is too afraid to fight for his own wife?"

"Well I'm not afraid anymore," Rumple countered. "I know I have to fight for the people I love."

"Don't you mean die for the people you love?" Hook asked as he reached over and grabbed the hilt of Rumple's sword and pulled it from the scabbard.

Rumple simply smirked at the gesture. "Killing a man with his own sword? Are you going to steal all of my affectations?"

Rumple summoned Hook's sword to his hand to complete the gesture. The two men squared off in their footing and held each other's blades up high before either made the first move. With a growl, Hook charged in swinging first and the two blades clashed and clanged as pirate and sorcerer danced around the deck of the ship.

* * *

"FAKE!" Loki declared as he knocked a hammer forged to look like Mjolnir off of Rumple's display.

The God of Mischief strolled about Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop like a cat mildly amused at his owner's fragile collection of knickknacks and wondering which was best to break first.

"Most of the memorabilia in this wretched hovel is fake," Loki sneered upon glancing at a replica of the Holy Grail before his eyes fell upon a rack of fairy wands. "Or _weak_."

As Loki ran his fingers across the glass display case as he strolled further into the shop, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye: an enchanted gauntlet from Camelot.

" _That's_ not bad, actually," Loki admitted as he lifted the lid of the display case and removed the gauntlet. "A glove with the power to lead one to their enemy's weakness. What a thoughtful gift to leave lying out unguarded."

Loki slid the gauntlet onto his hand and activated its power, concentrating on Rumplestiltskin when he did. The gauntlet provided Loki with a sense of direction and clarity, and Loki followed it. He brushed aside the curtain and crossed into the back room. A cabinet on the far wall called to him, and Loki quickly approached it and threw open its doors. Inside was a bell jar covering a glowing enchanted rose that was blooming beneath it.

"And _this_ is what I came for," Loki remarked with a grin.

* * *

"Vexen!" Saïx huffed as he stormed over to Vexen's work station. "The Overtakers are making swift progress through the castle. You assured me, assured _Xemnas_ , that their memories would thin the ranks, and yet they have failed utterly."

"Do not speak to me as if I am some neophyte!" Vexen snapped. "You were Number VII, whilst I was Number IV! I was serving at Xemnas's behest when _you_ were still off playing with Axel! As to your ill-informed concerns, while it is regrettable that the memory floors have been less useful than I'd anticipated, I have other means at my disposal."

"Your replica, you mean?" Saïx asked with a sneer. "I thought he failed when confronted by Maleficent and Ursula."

"That was merely an experiment, and I learned a great deal," Vexen said dismissively. "But no. The White Rooms are currently loaded with data based upon the subjects' memories. However, I control the castle mainframe, and it is all too simple to replace the memory data with a more... aggressive approach."

"On your head be the consequences," Saïx said sternly. "Should you fail, you will be left to clean up the mess."

Vexen held up a special card of his own. "Oh trust me, there will be no fear of _that_."

* * *

Frollo and Amora made their way through the illusion of Paris until they arrived at the square in front of Notre Dame. A wooden platform had been erected, and the orange light of dawn gave the illusion of a burning sky up above, an effect made more potent by the flames of Paris itself burning because of Frollo's wrath. Esmeralda was bound to a stake, and Frollo's flunkies were piling straw at her feet to aid in the burning process. The memory illusion of Frollo was giving a lengthy speech to sentence her to death as various citizens looked on in morbid satisfaction and agreement.

"I take it _that_ is the woman you desired?" Amora asked as she looked over Esmeralda.

"Yes," Frollo admitted.

"A dirty peasant woman with unruly hair?" Amora remarked with disgust. "How droll."

"At the very least, the object of _my_ affections was not a musclebound oaf who detests all villains," Frollo countered. "I recall hearing tales that you fell for such a man."

"True enough," Amora shrugged. "I suppose we _both_ know all too well the pains of desiring one whom we needn't concern ourselves with."

"On that, we are in agreement," Frollo nodded.

And for a moment, Amora and Frollo felt a certain kinship with one another that they hadn't beforehand. That moment, unfortunately, was quickly interrupted by the setting around them fading out to white and a new setting taking its place: one of a dark, fragmented passageway.

"What the devil is this?" Frollo asked as he recoiled.

"I am uncertain," Amora admitted.

Before either of them could decide on a course of action, a Demon Tide emerged from the distance and began to snake around Frollo and Amora. Though they didn't know it, a similar fate was currently befalling Zurg and Trakeena on one floor and the Insidious Six on the lower floors. After all, Vexen _had_ made a promise....

* * *

Maleficent and Ursula found themselves in a strange memory illusion. Their surroundings appeared as a Forest of Thorns, the likes of which Maleficent had summoned to trap Prince Phillip. Yet the forest was darker and more twisted than the one she'd conjured. For though neither Maleficent nor Ursula had any way of knowing this, the memory illusion they found themselves in was forged from the memories of Master Aqua from her time traversing what remained of the Enchanted Dominion in the Realm of Darkness.

The various Heartless that manifested along the trail were nothing more than child's play for the two witches to destroy, and so they wandered the thorny labyrinth until they arrived at a large clearing. Maleficent's eyes flashed with rage when she saw who was waiting for them in the clearing.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Maleficent asked as she approached Xemnas. "I was wondering when you would dare to face the inevitable."

Ursula drew her trident. "We destroyed you once, and now we're even more powerful! What makes you think you've even got a chance?"

Xemnas simply smirked. "I'll admit I did not think you capable of coming as far as you did. Though I am only a fragment of Xehanort, I recall quite well that first meeting when you were told of the Princesses of Heart. Your heart was steeped in greed and hatred, so I thought you easy to exploit. And yet here you stand, a victor at every turn."

"Only a fool would underestimate me!" Maleficent declared.

"Indeed," Xemnas nodded. "And I have played the role of that fool on many occasions. But no more. This is where your journey shall finally reach its denouement. For now you shall deal with me, o' witch, and all the powers of _Hell_."

Xemnas extended his arms upward, and from the depths of the forest of thorns, a swirling inferno of bright orange fire burned upwards and outwards, turning the sky bloody red with smoke. From the flames rose a silhouette of a mighty dragon that soared overhead and let out an ear shattering screech. The beast descended and landed behind Xemnas, roaring ferociously. Up close, the dragon appeared similar to Maleficent's own dragon form, just with horns that were further apart at a lower angle and with a slightly different coloration and shape. Maleficent seemed struck with great fear by the sight of this new dragon.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Ursula asked, immediately growing concerned.

Maleficent was unable to take her eyes off the other dragon when she said, "It's... my _father_."

* * *

Hook and Rumplestiltskin crossed blades in front of the Jolly Roger's Helm, matching one another's blades blow for blow. Hook, however, had the home field advantage. He lured Rumple closer to the stairs, and after feinting Rumple to the left, Hook was able to push the former Dark One down the stairs. Rumple vanished mid-fall and reappeared standing straight and tall a ways away.

"Always using magic to cheat, aren't we?" Hook snapped as he ran down the stairs, sword held aloft.

Hook jumped into the fray, alternating between fighting with his sword and with his hook, causing Rumple to frantically attempt to parry blows from multiple sides at once. Hook grinned to himself, knowing that this tactic basically would ensure that his opponent could do nothing but play defense. After realizing that Rumple was sufficiently overwhelmed, Hook slammed his left wrist against Rumple's mouth, causing him to stagger back in pain.

" _Now_ who's fighting dirty?" Rumple asked as he spat out a gold tooth that had gotten dislodged and a glob of blood with it.

"Pirate!" Hook declared with a laugh.

Rumple glanced up at the rigging and caused several ropes to snap and lash out at Hook, whipping him back.

"A coward using magic!" Hook sneered, mentally urging Loki to hurry up.

"Former Dark One!" Rumple said with a laugh, imitating Hook's earlier cadence.

The two rushed towards each other, swords drawn, and they clashed blades once more. Hook was more aggressive in his style, whilst Rumple had the lighter and more erratic footwork, marking their core differences. Rumple smirked to himself when he saw an opening and lunged forward to run Hook through with his sword. However, Rumple had the unfortunate ill luck of stepping on the loose plank on the deck and stumbling, allowing Hook to evade the attack. Hook whirled around and lodged his hook into Rumple's shoulder, tearing a gash into Rumple's flesh and forcing him to fall to the ground.

Rumple cried out in pain and tried to scurry back to his feet, but when he looked back up, he saw that he was at the end of Hook's sword. Rumple clutched his bleeding shoulder as he looked up at his hated adversary.

"They say the first cut is the deepest," Hook taunted. "Well they _lied!_ "

Rumplestiltskin knew he couldn't continue to indulge swordplay. He'd need to use his magic to turn the tide. Rumple tried to will his shoulder wound to heal, yet the gash remained. Perplexed, Rumple attempted to teleport himself away from the battle. Yet he remained. Rumple's stomach sank as he realized the horrible truth: his magic was gone.

"No... No, no, no!" Rumple said frantically.

"Ah, so you did come through for me after all," Hook said, though he wasn't speaking to Rumple.

Loki dropped the crushed and crumpled up rose overboard and wiped off his hands. "My dear captain, how could you doubt the God of Mischief?"

Hook turned back to Rumplestiltskin, grinning wickedly as he held the tip of his sword to Rumple's throat.

"Well, I have to hand it to you, Crocodile," Hook said smugly as the sun rose over his head, "you lasted a lot longer than I expected. If you'd fought me with such vigor back in the day, I might have given you your wife back."

"What are you waiting for, pirate?" Loki asked with a groan. "Finish him!"

"You got _your_ revenge, now it's _my_ turn, so shut it!" Hook snapped.

Loki scowled but vanished from the deck of the ship, leaving Hook to do as he pleased. There he lie, powerless on the floor. Once, the mighty Dark One, now, he was merely a miserable wretch at the mercy of the shrewd pirate. Ever since Milah's death, Hook had worked towards this moment: the moment when the light of life left Rumplestiltskin's eyes.

"Please," Rumplestiltskin whimpered, "I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you should have thought of that before you killed Milah," Hook growled, leaning in closer to Rumple's face, "She might have been your wife, but she and I possessed something stronger than marriage. We had true love, something your black heart wouldn't understand. And now, you're going to feel the wrath of a man who has lost that love."

Hook brought his hook down into Rumple's shoulder again, twisting the tip of his hook in the wound, prompting a cry of anguish from the former Dark One. A stream of bright red blood trickled from the gash as the captain dislodged his hook from Rumplestiltskin's shoulder blade.

"You feel that?" Hook growled. "That's just the beginning of your pain."

"Please," Rumplestiltskin whimpered.

Hook only grinned in reply. He slid his hook beneath Rumple's shirt and ripped it open, exposing his bare chest to the rising sun. Hook then brought his hook down to the former Dark One's exposed stomach and began to carve into his flesh. Rumplestiltskin cried out in pain as Hook sliced through his now all too human skin. When Hook had finally completed his task, "MILAH" had been written into Rumplestiltskin's skin, though it was barely legible beneath the blood that poured from the wounds.

"That's to remind you of the woman whose life you stole," Hook growled, "the woman that this vengeance is _really_ about."

"Please," Rumplestiltskin gurgled through a bloody mouth, "I'm sorry."

"It's too late for apologies, mate," Hook chuckled wickedly. "But now comes the real retribution."

Hook reached for his actual sword that was lying on the deck a few feet away from Rumple.

"First, to take from you what you took from me," Hook grinned.

In one swing of his sword, Hook severed Rumplestiltskin's left hand, prompting another cry of pain from the former Dark One.

"And second," Hook continued, "to take from you, what you took from Milah. There are a great many new abilities I gained from becoming a true Blackguard, but my favorite is that I now have the power to perform a certain technique that you, Regina, and Cora favored a great deal...."

Hook plunged his hook into Rumplestiltskin's chest, and then swiftly pulled it back out, with a glowing bright red heart pierced on the tip of his hook.

"Beg," Hook demanded.

"What?" Rumple sobbed, prompting Hook to kick him in the side.

"Beg me for death!" Hook ordered.

"Please," Rumple sobbed. "Just end it!"

Hook grinned.

"With pleasure."

Hook took the heart in his right hand and squeezed. Rumple's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his heart slowly turned to dust. Hook let out a gleeful chuckle as Rumplestiltskin died at his feet.

The sound of splashing in the water drew Hook's attention away from his foe. He glanced over the railing to see the crocodile attempting (and failing) to crawl up the side of the Jolly Roger. It could smell the blood up on deck, and it was getting quite hungry. Hook sneered in disgust before an idea struck him.

"No worries, mate, Captain Hook has a tasty treat for you," Hook teased.

Hook grabbed Rumplestiltskin's corpse by the arm and dragged the body over to the edge. With a single heave, Hook threw the lifeless body into the water. The crocodile greedily began to snap at the body, ripping it to shreds and causing the water around the ship to become murky with red.

"And so our story ends... and dead men tell no tales."


	30. House of Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you should be familiar with the song "It Feels So Good to be Bad (Reprise)" from All Dogs Go to Heaven 2.

The Inner Demons placed the Altar of the Cat God in the center of the room, directly across from the Octavius Device. The Mandarin, Mr. Negative, and Imshael supervised, all whilst attempting to hide their disdain for one another.

"Alright, Mandy, time to prove you're not a total waste of time," Imshael said smugly.

"Such impertinence!" Mandarin spat. "You need me to release your friends, and that is a fact that you are powerless to change."

"True, so maybe stop the yapping and actually do your part?" Imshael replied.

Mandarin scowled and turned to face one of the Inner Demons. "Turn on the machine!"

The masked demon nodded and activated the Octavius device, powering the tritium and causing it to expand outward to create an orb of pure perpetual golden energy. It was as if the power of the sun itself was being contained within the machine.

"Power," Mandarin said with a grin. "Unlimited power!"

Mandarin placed his hands together above his head and beckoned the power of the tritium to be absorbed into his rings, amplifying their power a hundred fold. It was Nightbringer, the Black Light Ring, that held the power needed. The ring could draw upon the powers of the Darkforce, and, when amplified with the additional power, it could open portals to worlds of pure evil. Mandarin concentrated his energies upon the Altar of the Cat God and unleashed the Darkforce energy upon the statue. The statue responded immediately, lighting its torch and allowing red smoke to billow from its flames.

An intensely wicked cackling echoed from regions beyond as the Old One was summoned through his altar. Lively music seemed to accompany the laughter as the cat god took physical form in the room. He looked like a cat with crimson fur, but he stood at the height of a large man on hind legs. Draped over his body was a blue robe to preserve his modesty, and his yellow eyes and mouth were practically glowing.

" _It's so so stirring,_ " the cat god, or Red as he preferred, began to sing. " _I feel like purring!_ "

" _It's deeply pleasin' to be the reason,_ " Imshael joined in as he approached his newly restored comrade.

Red grinned when he saw Imshael, and the two joined together in harmony for the next lyric. " _So many will be so saaaa-aaaa-aaaaad._ "

" _Three cheers for treachery!_ " Red belted all on his own. " _It feels so good to be BAD!_ "

Red danced a little jig as the music wound down before belting a final, " _And BACK!_ "

"Good to see you haven't lost your flair," Imshael said with a grin. "I was worried about you."

Red just laughed at that. "Oh, did you really think damnation would possibly make me lose my luster? HA! Fat chance of that!"

"Pardon me for interrupting this strange reunion," the Mandarin said, sounding the opposite of begging anyone's pardon. "But I am the Mandarin, the reason you were freed, and your new MASTER!"

Red rounded on Mandarin, claws drawn, and hissed angrily. "You dare speak so to me, HUMAN?"

Imshael, however, quickly put himself between Red and the Mandarin. Mr. Negative watched this scene transpire in front of him with an amused smirk.

"Now, now, I know the Mandarin's an utter pain, but we still need him," Imshael said to Red. "We have more friends to invite to the party, and the Mandarin holds the key."

Red scowled but backed off. "Quite right. Apologies for my little... outburst."

"See to it that it does not happen again," the Mandarin said with a scowl as he dramatically stormed out of the room.

Mr. Negative, loathed to be alone in a room with two of the Great Old Ones, took his leave as well and beckoned for his demons to follow him out. Once the room was clear, Red placed a paw on Imshael's shoulder and leaned in close to his comrade.

"Why are we reduced to working for this arrogant human," Red asked with a hiss.

"Trust me, if it were up to me, I'd have had him muzzled long ago," Imshael answered. "Neither of us are Pride Demons, so we can't afford to let pride blind us the way that he does. Letting him think he's in charge only hurts _him_ in the long run. Besides, we both know that we have a higher purpose to answer to."

"Indeed," Red nodded. "What directions have come from on high?"

"I'll take you to catch up in a bit," Imshael said. "But for now, suffice to say, we have a few more friends to find. And next up... well, don't fear the reaper."

* * *

"I demand a lawyer and my one fuckin' phone call, sheriff!" Russell cursed from beneath the sterling silver net that was currently holding him in place.

Emma and Regina looked down at their captured quarry with distaste and unease.

"You really think that's gonna hold him?" Emma asked. "You saw what he did to Happy."

"You really think this is the first vampire I've had to deal with?" Regina asked. "Yes, I'm sure. Silver will keep him from causing any problems for us."

"Okay, but how do we get him out of the convent?" Emma asked. "We can't exactly drag him out the front door."

"A stake to the heart'll solve all our problems," Regina offered.

"We are _not_ killing him," Emma insisted.

"Indeed you aren't," Hook said as he and Loki appeared. "He'll be coming back with me."

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes. "How did they manage to capture you, Russell? With your speed and strength, it should have been child's play to accomplish your task."

"In my defense, nobody told me the nuns were _fairies!_ " Russell emphasized. "Normally I can't stand nuns, but these ones? Oh-ho-HO! It was like suckin' on heaven. A fuckin' religious experience. A whole smorgasbord of sunlight and Arcadia just ripe for the pickin'!"

"Does he normally act this drunk?" Regina asked.

"Only if he's had a fairy or twenty for dinner," Hook said with a sigh.

"What are you doing here, Hook?" Emma asked with a stern expression.

"Well, love, I just finally got the revenge I've wanted for centuries!" Hook declared as his grin widened.

Regina and Emma's eyes both widened with shock.

"That's not possible," Regina said. "You couldn't have-"

"Aye, love, I did," Hook replied. "Rumplestiltskin is finally _dead_. I'm sated. Replete. Something _you_ kept me from."

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you when you just murdered my son's grandfather?" Emma asked. "Not gonna happen. I'm onto your whole game now, Hook, and I'm not falling for it again."

"I don't want you to," Hook replied. "I already have a partner to share my heart with. Jafar and I are perfectly suited to one another, and I've no need for a pretty blonde distraction any longer. I'm finally free! And all that's left is to take my revenge on _you_ for holding me back."

"Enough of this," Regina hissed as she summoned a fireball to her hand.

"Let us leave this lovers' quarrel between the two of them, shall we?" Loki said as he put out Regina's spell with a quick blast of ice.

"You of all people should understand how it feels, Regina," Hook said. "You and I _both_ had to change our entire selves to be accepted by the Charmings. Everything we enjoyed and wanted had to be pushed aside in order to be good enough to be worthy of their love."

"I _chose_ to change to be good enough for my son," Regina said.

"Because Emma and her mother taught Henry that his love for you didn't have to be unconditional," Hook pointed out. "Because they turned him against you and made him think you were inadequate for being a villain, just like they did to me."

"I don't think 'don't murder people' is an unreasonable request," Emma snapped.

"Don't avenge the woman you loved," Hook said. "Don't pillage and plunder or any of those things you enjoy doing. Don't sail the seven seas; stay planted in one dull, ordinary port. Give up your ship. Give up your crew. Give up the way that you dress to assimilate into this world that you didn't want to stay on in the first place!"

"Yeah, well, I didn't _make_ you do any of that!" Emma said. "If you wanted to just be a pirate, then you should've just gone and _been_ a pirate instead of trying to chase after me! You're the one who kept pushing the issue of us being together over and over no matter how many times I told you that I wanted to focus on Henry or that I wasn't ready for that."

"You gave me mixed signals at every turn," Hook argued. "You strung me along, then let me crash into a wall. Then you'd string me along again until I hit another wall. Two steps forward, one step back all the way. You _never_ were honest or direct with me. You just continuously made me feel like I could win your heart if I just kept changing, and you let me lose myself in the process, Emma! _That's_ on you!"

"I was dealing with a _lot_ , and I've always had trouble with letting people in!" Emma shouted, as tears started to well up in her eyes. "I was abandoned by everyone I've ever loved. So, when I'm scared, that's when my walls come up and I stop trusting the people around me, _you know this!_ "

"That doesn't make it fair!" Hook snapped back.

"Anyone else feel uncomfortably in the middle of somethin' here?" Russell asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Regina replied.

Emma breathed in deeply and exhaled as she spoke. "You're right. It doesn't. Just like it's not right for you to put the blame for losing your way all on me. You and I were a bad mix for each other. I was just as bad for you as you were for me. I see that now."

Of all the responses Hook was expecting, that wasn't one of them. "You do?"

Emma nodded as a tear ran down the side of her face. "I wanted... I _thought_ I wanted a fairytale romance like my parents had. But you were no prince charming, and I was _never_ really from that world or comfortable with it to begin with. We both were trying to be something we weren't. And for what it's worth, as much as I _don't_ agree with what you're doing or have done, I _am_ glad that you're happy now with your boyfriend."

Emma's words touched Hook, and he found himself spellbound by a whirlwind of emotions: guilt, pain, love, hatred, anger, sorrow, but most of all understanding. Somehow, amidst all this madness, he'd found himself in a situation where he was Milah, the Overtakers were him, and Emma was Rumplestiltskin. The only difference was that Emma was saying all the things that Rumple never had. Things that might've led to everyone getting to go their separate ways and live happily ever after. Maybe she truly was the savior after all.

"Loki, get Russell and my ship and return to the Eminence Palace," Hook ordered. "I'll be along shortly."

"What?" Loki asked in disbelief. "But destroying the savior was-"

"It's MY revenge quest, and I GIVE THE ORDERS!" Hook snapped.

Loki scowled but did not protest further. With a snap of his fingers, Loki and Russell both vanished into a Corridor of Darkness, leaving only Hook, Emma, and Regina behind.

"Perhaps we always were destined only to be ships in the night passing each other by," Hook said, once his allies were gone. "Tethering our ships to each other was a folly. We were sailing in opposite directions."

Emma nodded. "We were. And maybe... that's okay."

" _Okay?_ He just murdered Rumplestiltskin!" Regina snapped.

"And you killed how many people to get what you wanted?" Emma countered. "I don't think you really have any moral high ground here."

"Ever the fiery one, aren't you, Swan?" Hook asked with a smirk.

"But I really can't just let you go free after what you've done," Emma said as her hands began to glow with magic. "So, Killian... Captain Hook... for the murder of Rumplestiltskin, I hereby banish you from Storybrooke. You are to go out, live the life of a pirate you always wanted, and be happy. But you are NEVER to return to Storybrooke again."

The golden light enveloped Hook, and he knew that once he departed, the magic would never let him return again.

Hook gave a little bow. "A fair judgment, Swan. I won't forget you."

"I won't forget you either," Emma said.

"Good-bye, Emma," Hook said as he vanished into the darkness. "I truly hope you find the happiness that you couldn't have with me."

And then he was gone. This time for good.

"Do you really think that was a good idea?" Regina asked. "You know what he's going to do out there."

"I had to let him go," Emma said. "I'm only the sheriff of this town. Anything out there is outside of my jurisdiction. Are you okay? I know you and Rumplestiltskin were close."

Regina nodded. "I'll be fine... in time. We just need to be there for Belle and Neal more than anything."

"Right," Emma agreed. "And I'm sorry if I somehow made you change to give up who you are too. Maybe... just maybe... we've been going about this heroes and villains thing all wrong."

"Maybe so," Regina said thoughtfully. "But we'll figure it out together... as a _family_."

* * *

"Your FATHER?" Ursula asked, utterly flabbergasted by Maleficent's statement regarding the dragon, Brynewelm, that was looming behind Xemnas.

"No time to explain," Maleficent warned. "It is an illusion created by the castle, but he will still be quite powerful. You handle Xemnas. I shall deal with my father."

Brynewelm roared viciously and looked as though he was prepared to lunge at the two villainesses. Maleficent, however, exploded into a jet of fire and blasted herself directly into Brynewelm like a cannon shot. She quickly transformed into her dragon form, pushed Brynewelm away from Ursula and Xemnas, and took off into the sky. Brynewelm roared angrily as he saw his daughter flew off, and, never one to be outdone, took off into the sky after her.

"Guess it's just you and me, handsome," Ursula said as she turned to face Xemnas.

"As you wish," Xemnas said as he began to levitate off the ground. "Drown yourself in the endless nothingness, as is the ultimate fate of all existence!"

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before," Ursula snapped as she drew her trident.

Xemnas summoned his Ethereal Blades to his hands and glided over to Ursula, preparing to slice her with the swords. Ursula, however, was ready for him and beckoned her trident to spin around her quickly to knock Xemnas off course before he could reach her. Not one to be deterred, Xemnas engulfed himself in darkness and quickly warped away from Ursula before she could do worse. Ursula fired a bolt of lightning from the trident at Xemnas, but he simply warped out of the way before the blast could strike him.

Xemnas created vines of nothingness and flew towards Ursula, striking at her with the vines and sending Ursula tumbling away. However, with the trident in hand, Ursula was able to quickly alter course and to fly back in Xemnas's direction. She spun around quickly like a screwdriver with the tip of her trident crackling with electricity as she propelled herself directly into Xemnas.

"Right back at'cha!" Ursula called out with a villainous laugh.

Ursula then used the trident to blast Xemnas away from her, sending him flying back into a thorn bush. Xemnas gritted his teeth in rage and put his hands together above his head as they began to radiate with a blue light. The ground beneath them suddenly began to rise up into uneven and towering plateaus, and a few chunks of earth began to float about through the air. Xemnas then beckoned for a few of the larger floating boulders to fall back towards Ursula. Ursula blasted each of them to rubble as they tumbled towards her. Ursula attempted to fly back up to Xemnas, but Xemnas summoned a vine of nothingness to force her back down to the ground. After a single warp, Xemnas was standing next to Ursula with his blades drawn.

Yet, before he could attack, Ursula and Xemnas both faltered as powerful gusts of wind were created by the wings of Maleficent and Brynewelm flying past them. Maleficent was flying out front with Brynewelm hot on her tail. Maleficent struck her foot against the side of one of the rocky platforms that Xemnas had raised, sending a shower of debris down at Brynewelm. The memory of the dragon was stalled but managed to avoid being hit by the falling rocks, and he quickly resumed his pursuit of his daughter. Once Maleficent had reached a reasonable height and enough distance between her and her father, she turned around and positioned herself to divebomb Brynewelm. She descended, claws outstretched, and sunk them into the memory of her father.

However, Brynewelm was not willing to go down without a fight and began to lash out at Maleficent with his own claws. Splatters of blood flew out of gashes left in both dragons as the two continued to struggle in midair. All the while, the two dragons were interlocked and falling out of the sky like a pair of stones. Ursula and Xemnas both scattered as the dragons headed directly for where they were fighting. They crashed into the stone plateau with a powerful shockwave that knocked all four of the villains in different directions.

Maleficent was knocked back into her fairy form and flung into the forest of thorns. The brambles tore at her flesh and her robes but slowed her fall. She crashed into the floor beneath the thorns. Blood was pouring out of wounds left by Brynewelm and the thorns. Maleficent tried to pick herself up off the ground, but the pain was too intense. She collapsed into a puddle of her own blood and everything went black.

Ursula meanwhile pulled herself up from the rocky earth she'd been knocked down into. Her trident was several feet away. The sea witch mentally beckoned for the trident to return to her hand, but before she could fully call it back, one of Xemnas's Ethereal Blades was against her throat. Ursula turned to face her opponent as he loomed above her.

"No! It's not possible!" Ursula said, knowing that she had nowhere else to go.

"Indeeeeeeeeeed it is," Xemnas said with a sly smirk. "Not only is it possible, but it is inevitable. The fact that your Overtakers managed to best Organization XIII was a fluke that should not have happened. Your meddlesome presence has delayed the inevitable clash of seven lights and thirteen darknesses. And though my other selves have long since been destroyed, I shall begin anew as soon as I have cleared the board of the gnats that think themselves more powerful. For my cause is ever necessary to learn what secrets lie beyond the Keyblade War. But would it not be amusing if the answer to such a conundrum was literal nothingness? The poetic irony of the folly of hearts would truly be fulfilled and proven, and even one such as I could not have anticipated such a-"

The sound of a gunshot cut Xemnas short, and he looked down at his abdomen to see blood pouring from his side. Xemnas gritted his teeth in pain as he turned to face his assailant.

"Cease this mindless RAMBLING!" Kingpin ordered as he returned his pistol to its holster.

Xemnas glared daggers at Kingpin as he quickly healed his wound. "You were supposed to perish in Vexen's trap."

"The Kingpin perishes at the hands of NO ONE!" Kingpin boasted as the Insidious Six caught up with their leader.

"That, I assure you, will prove to be untrue!" Xemnas warned.

Six bright crimson Ethereal Blades appeared out of thin air and each one struck a different member of the Insidious Six, knocking all of the Kingpin's allies down in one swift moment. Xemnas then beckoned his vines of nothingness to wrap around Kingpin and to constrict him tight.

"You will pay quite dearly for interfering in my affairs," Xemnas warned. "Your own leaders faltered in my presence. Whatever made you think the odds would ever lie in your favor?"

Kingpin struggled against the vines. "I've been beating... worse odds... ALL. MY. LIFE!"

With a long cry of pain and exertion, Kingpin snapped the vines wrapped around him and broke free. Xemnas's eyes widened in disbelief that a mere mortal could achieve such a feat. Without a second's hesitation, Kingpin drew his cane and fired a beam of energy from its tip. Xemnas didn't even know what hit him when the laser beam struck directly through his stomach. There was only one thing he could do: retreat to lick his wounds and try again another day. As Xemnas vanished into the darkness, he promised to himself that Vexen would pay for failing to deal with Maleficent's goons.

"Now get up you Neanderthals!" Kingpin shouted at his six fallen allies. "We have more important things still yet to accomplish!"

And that was certainly true. For at that very moment, Brynewelm had finally managed to find his second wind and pull himself up. The vicious dragon was eyeing the eight Overtakers with contempt and hatred.

"What do we need to do?" Kingpin asked Ursula as he helped her up.

"Maleficent can end this, but she needs healing," Ursula explained. "I can get her back on her feet, but I need the dragon distracted."

"You heard her, men!" Kingpin bellowed. "We must keep that beast occupied!"

"What the Hell to you take us for?" Scorpion asked. "We're not strong enough to fight a dragon!"

"It does certainly seem a bit beyond our abilities," Doctor Octopus agreed.

"I did not recruit a team of cowards!" Kingpin snapped. "If you have what it takes to remain on the Insidious Six and the Overtakers, you will do as you're told!"

Kingpin ran towards Brynewelm with determination in his eyes. The other members of the Insidious Six exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed after him. Shocker and Electro both fired blasts at Brynewelm's head, causing the dragon to recoil in pain and anger. Meanwhile, with the head distracted, Kingpin and Rhino each grabbed onto Brynewelm's front legs and knocked him off his feet. As the dragon stumbled, Scorpion and Doctor Octopus climbed onto the beast's back and began to mercilessly chip away at Brynewelm's armor by repeatedly stabbing at it with their tail and tentacles respectively. Vulture, meanwhile, flew overhead and dropped small grenades along Brynewelm's back, away from where his allies were attacking.

Brynewelm squirmed and roared out in pain, and he quickly shook Octopus and Scorpion off his back and began to breathe a jet of fire towards his assailants still on the ground. The Insidious Six scattered to avoid being fried by the beast.

"We need more firepower to topple that creature!" Vulture declared.

"Then I suppose we've shown up just in time!" Zurg said as he flew in, sitting on a flying platform with it's own built-in throne.

Behind him, dozens of hornet robots were hovering in the air, awaiting their master's command.

"HORNETS! FRY HIM!" Zurg shouted and punctuated his order with a fiendish cackle.

The hornet robots began to open fire, pelting Brynewelm with a halo of laser-fire. The dragon went to attack them with his fiery breath, but a strange green light socked him in the jaw before he could. The green light then struck Brynewelm in the side, and it was somehow strong enough to cause the dragon to stumble. He snapped at the light as it flew past him, but the energy moved too quickly. Trakeena manifested from the light down on the ground and proudly held up her staff.

"Don't mess with someone as powerful as ME!" Trakeena warned.

"I'll send this beast back to Hell where it belongs!" Frollo declared as he stepped forward next to Trakeena and drew his sword. "Go, impose my judgment and put your back into it!"

Frollo gestured towards the dragon with his sword, and a smaller (but still quite large) monster flew towards Brynewelm. The bright colors of the Wargoyle made it stand out against the muted purples and blacks of the surroundings. The Wargoyle roared and began firing flaming shards of stained glass that rained down on top of Brynewelm. Most of the shards bounced off of the dragon harmlessly, but a few of them embedded themselves into the wounds that the Insidious Six created. The Wargoyle flew down and punched Brynewelm in the nose, but Brynewelm quickly snapped his jaws around the Wargoyle's wrist and flung the creature into the thorns.

Before Brynewelm could make another move, his entire head began to glow green. He felt a singing... a whispering in his head. There was something attempting to cloud his mind. Amora the Enchantress descended from above, her eyes glowing the same shade of green.

"Such a big and handsome beast you are," Amora cooed. "That's quite enough fighting for one day, my dear. Stand down and I shall let you be my pet slave. You like the sound of that, do you not?"

Brynewelm attempted to shake Amora's influence from his mind, but her magic was too powerful. He couldn't deny that she was the loveliest creature he'd ever seen, and he longed for nothing more than to please her. He calmed himself and knelt before her with deference. He reached out a gentle claw towards Amora, and then...

A hundred thorns broke out of the ground and wrapped around him, an immense bolt of violet lightning struck down and blasted into him, dozens of explosions of green fire began to burst all around him, and the bloodied and furious Maleficent watched as the illusion of her father evaporated into nothingness. It may have been overkill, but it made Maleficent feel better. The Overtakers cheered as the beast was destroyed, and all that was left of him was a single Enemy Card. As her allies celebrated, Maleficent walked over and plucked the card out of the ashes. She let herself enjoy a moment of silence as memories of her father returned to her. After a minute, Ursula slithered up alongside her.

"He was a powerful force of evil in life," Maleficent said to Ursula as she admired the Enemy Card. "He taught me the value of taking and hoarding power and the spoils of war. My mother only desired evil for its own sake. It is from him that I learned ambition and greed. I suppose there would have been no Overtakers without him."

Ursula placed a sympathetic hand on Maleficent's shoulder. "What happened to him?"

"He was slain by a warrior by the name of Beowulf long ago," Maleficent answered. "Long have I sought to end Beowulf's bloodline as he ended my father's life. Aurora and King Stefan are that fool's descendants."

"To be fair, we _did_ lose Audrey to the timestream," Ursula pointed out with a chuckle. "Pretty sure that counts as ending his bloodline."

Maleficent laughed lightly to herself. "I suppose you're right. For taunting me with a corrupted memory of my father, I shall make Xemnas wish he'd never been born!"

"Unfortunately that coward Xemnas escaped!" Kingpin said as he and the other Overtakers approached Maleficent.

"I doubt he'll have even remained in the castle after so crushing a defeat," Frollo said with a sneer. "Slippery vermin, just as difficult to stamp out as the gypsy girl!"

"Are you gonna start singing about him to your fireplace now?" Zurg asked.

"Patience, my pets, patience," Maleficent said with a slight grin. "Xemnas may have fled, but we still have one little matter left to attend to...."

* * *

Vexen hastily packed his research equipment into his various duffle bags. Xemnas and Saïx had already fled the castle, and they'd left Vexen behind without a word about where they were going. He could hardly believe that his superior had deserted so brilliant and genius of a mind, and he still held out a glimmer of hope that they'd come back for him soon. But if Xemnas and Saïx had fled the castle grounds, that meant the Overtakers had conquered the obstacles and were both angry and loose. Vexen fully intended to be gone by the time the Overtakers got to the top floor.

"Leaving so soon?" Maleficent asked as she manifested in the laboratory. "Why, I simply would not hear of it!"

Vexen gasped and dropped a pair of test tubes as he whirled around to face her. "Maleficent! You... you survived!"

"I always do, of my _own_ volition," Maleficent said with a grin. "Something I do not think _you_ can claim with honesty."

A flurry of green flames appeared in the palm of the evil fairy's grin, and Vexen began sweating profusely as he recalled his annihilation at the hands of Axel's fire.

"Please, wait, please, your excellency!" Vexen said as he recoiled. "I was only following orders! I'll... I'll tell you anything you wish to know regarding Xemnas! I'll serve you as your head scientist!"

"That position is already filled," Maleficent said coyly. "Pity."

"That's enough!" a third voice called out.

Maleficent and Vexen both turned to see the Riku Replica walking towards them with his sword drawn. Vexen burst out laughing at the sight of him.

"You've arrived just in time, my creation!" Vexen said. "Now dispose of this witch so that we may claim our reward from Xemnas."

The Replica angled his sword towards Maleficent and kept his eyes locked on her even as he moved closer to Vexen. Something in the Replica's eyes was different, though Maleficent couldn't fully describe what that was.

"What are you waiting for?" Vexen asked. "ATTACK!"

And so the Replica did... by whirling around and grabbing Vexen by the throat. Vexen gargled incoherently in surprise.

"Do you really think I'd just forget that you let them erase my memories and make me think I was that weak real Riku?" the Replica asked. "You've been using me since day one!"

"No, NO! I created you!" Vexen said. "It's the witch! She's messing with your mind!"

"I thought so too at first," the Replica said. "But I see now that she really was trying to help open my eyes, just like she did for the real Riku... He was too stupid and weak to accept that. I'm not! You, on the other hand, outright said you'd make good _use_ of me."

"Please don't!" Vexen shouted. "I don't want to die!"

"It's your call, Maleficent," the Replica said as he turned around, never releasing his hold on Vexen.

"Death is far too... impermanent these days," Maleficent said. "I do not want to chance the unlikely event of Xemnas managing to bring him back from the dead."

Vexen let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank you, your excellency!"

"Instead, I have just the spell," Maleficent said with a grin as the orb atop her staff began to glow. "I hold in my staff a little touch of magic I learned after a gathering of fools attempted to force me into unholy matrimony. This spell will banish the fool... to the _Netherworld!_ "

"NO! NOT THAT!" Vexen shrieked.

"Away with you!" Maleficent said as she released the spell, causing Vexen to vanish amongst a flurry of green flames.

"So," the Replica said once Vexen had vanished. "Did you actually mean what you said before about there being a place for me on the Overtakers?"

Maleficent simply laughed. "Indeed. You're better off without those wretched fools. Now think no more of them and come with _me_. I'll help you find what you're searching for...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red is from All Dogs Go to Heaven 2.


	31. Overtaker Interrupted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a couple... suggestive bits. Nothing explicit, but there's some sexy times. Just be aware.

"This shall be your new domicile," Maleficent explained as she escorted the Riku Replica down the halls of the Eminence Palace.

"A lot nicer than Hollow Bastion was," the Replica remarked.

"Indeed," Maleficent agreed. "Though if you'd like your old room back in Hollow Bastion, I can make arrangements."

"It's not _my_ old room," the Replica snapped. "That was the other guy's room. The one who's _not_ me!"

"My apologies," Maleficent said graciously as she bowed her head. "I promised that you could finally be your own person here, and I meant what I said."

"Good," the Replica nodded. "I just... want to be me... whatever that means... I wanna be someone who's not Riku... not the real one."

"Well, perhaps the first step along that path is to choose a name for yourself," Maleficent suggested. "'The Riku Replica' is a description of what you are, not a true name."

The Replica thought about it for a moment before replying, "But how do you choose a name? How do you know it's right?"

"There is power in a name," Maleficent explained. "You can feel it in your heart."

The Replica thought for a moment and searched his heart. He thought about the real Riku and how he'd always felt like he was nothing more than a shadow... than the second best version of himself. It was as if he was condemned to never rise above being second place. An idea struck him, and when he realized it also coincided with the color of his hair, he knew it was the right decision.

"Silver," he answered. "That'll be my name."

Maleficent smirked. "Very well then. Silver it shall be! Now then, if you'll follow-"

But Maleficent stopped short when she saw who was leaning against the archway. Hades gave a coy wave as he flashed her a smirk. Maleficent could tell right away that he had his old spark back, and she smiled at the notion.

"Actually, Silver, on second thought," Maleficent said. "You should explore the castle for yourself and mingle with the others. I have... other matters to attend to."

Silver shrugged and took off down one of the corridors on his own, leaving Hades and Maleficent to remain behind in the foyer.

"You've returned," Maleficent remarked.

"Back and better than ever, baby!" Hades declared with a grin. "Just needed a little reminder of who I am from some friends. You get Xemnas?"

"Unfortunately, no, he evaded capture," Maleficent said with a sneer.

"Eh, you'll get 'im next time," Hades assured her. "And _next_ time, you'll have somethin' special to whip out on him."

Maleficent's expression turned puzzled. "Whatever do you mean?"

Hades beckoned for Maleficent to follow him and led her to the top of the castle, the Altar of Fright. Once, Xemnas had stood up her to monologue in front of Kingdom Hearts. Now it served as a perch where Maleficent could admire her entire world. Resting atop the mosaic in the center of the tower was the Black Cauldron. Maleficent gasped and then cackled with delight.

"You've repaired it?" Maleficent asked.

"Hehe, yep! Recharged it with some good ol' fashion Erebus," Hades explained. "Just like me, it's back and more powerful than ever before!"

Maleficent placed her index finger beneath Hades's chin and ushered him in close for a kiss. It had been far too long since their lips had met, and both villains had missed the sensation. Maleficent flashed a smile at Hades as she pulled away from the kiss.

"The return of the cauldron is an affair our allies should share in!" Maleficent declared as the orb atop her staff began to glow green. " _To me, my Overtakers!_ "

* * *

"What do you mean it was stolen?" Ursula bellowed angrily as her tentacles closed in on Kieran, Sid, Penguin, and Riddler. "I sent _you_ four to _steal_ it for me!"

Fish Mooney crossed her arms and watched this scene transpire without interfering. Kieran and Penguin were her proteges, but that didn't mean their failure was excusable.

"We tried our best, but the people who took it hopped off world before we could murder them," Penguin argued.

"Who has the altar?" Ursula asked.

"A guy called Mr. Negative and his Inner Demons," Kieran answered.

"WHAT?" Ursula and Fish both said in unison.

"Yeah, Kieran and I were there when he took the Octavius Device from Watts too," Sid added. "Those assholes are making a habit of fucking with us."

"We've encountered them as well," Fish said, thinking back to Traverse Town. "You've seen their leader?"

"Yeah, he looks like something straight out of the negatives of a photograph," Kieran answered. "He... he messed with all of our minds too, but we managed to break free."

"A new player on the field," Ursula mused. "And he took the Altar of the Cat God... tell me, what did this so called 'Octavius Device' do?"

"Watts could probably tell you more," Sid admitted. "But it sounds like it was a really strong energy source."

"Hmm, interesting," Ursula mumbled before speaking up. "Go on then. The lot of you. We're done here!"

The four young men didn't have to be told twice, and they quickly left Ursula and Fish alone in the lounge.

"What are you thinking about, baby?" Fish asked. "I know that look all too well. Should we be worried?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet," Ursula admitted. "That altar was dedicated to one of the Great Old Ones, a cat deity of malevolence. Very old. Very powerful."

"Sounds right up our alley," Fish said with a smirk.

"I wanted to use it to give our soldiers a little extra boost," Ursula admitted. "But in the hands of those wild cards, they could make some real trouble. After all, an Old One turned against us would make Cronus's flunkies look like child's play."

"Then we need to find out where those Inner Demons are hiding and put an end to them," Fish said. "No waiting around to see what they'll do. Just kill them and move on."

"Mmm, sounds tasty," Ursula said with a laugh. "I love it when you get all gruesome on me, angelfish."

Fish laughed a bit at that. "Well trust me, I can get much, MUCH..." Fish leaned in closer to Ursula's face and whispered, " _nastier_."

"Well how about you show me just how nasty you can get," Ursula replied seductively as she turned around and leaned up against Fish.

Ursula's hand caressed Fish's face and beckoned for her to lean in for a kiss. Fish obliged and felt a strange yet pleasant tingling sensation on her lips as she did.

"Mmm," Fish said as she pulled away. "New lipstick?"

"Just a little something I brewed together," Ursula explained. "Has just a hint of jellyfish venom to give it a little sting!"

Fish grinned and chuckled at that. "I like it. A little drop of poison."

"Always," Ursula cooed as she wrapped her tentacles around Fish.

As Fish and Ursula leaned in for another kiss, a voice began to echo in both of their minds.

"To me, my Overtakers!"

"Ugh, always a killjoy, isn't she?" Ursula huffed angrily.

"Gives us something to look forward to later," Fish said with a shrug. "Besides, with everything going on, I'm sure Maleficent has a good reason for needing us."

"You're right, of course," Ursula said as she unwrapped her tentacles from around Fish. "And we do need to talk with the others about the Demons."

"There's just one teensy-tiny thing we need to do first," Fish said slyly.

"Hmm? What's that?" Ursula asked.

Fish answered by leaning in for another, longer kiss. Both of their lips tingled at the sensation of Ursula's lipstick, and it was a poisonously perfect moment.

* * *

Even before Russell turned on the lights, he could hear the pulse of the figure lying on his bed. He knew right away it wasn't Steve, for vampire pulses have a distinctly different sound and feeling to them. The intruder was unquestionably human. The notion that a human had intruded upon his chambers was amusing to Russell, rather than the threat some vampires would take it as. After all, what was an ant to a boot? Russell turned on the lights.

"Someone clearly knew exactly what to get me for my birthday," Russell said with a chuckle.

There was, in fact, a human man sprawled out on the bed. He was handsome and well-built, and, most notably, bound and gagged.

"Isn't he handsome?" Steve asked as he stepped out from the adjacent room. "You have no idea the amount of will-power it took to hold off on eatin' him without you."

"I'm touched," Russell said. "What's the occasion?"

"Well I figured the death of Eric Northman deserved somethin' special to commemorate it," Steve replied.

"Well let's not keep our friend waitin' any longer then," Russell said with a grin. "Supper time!"

He and Steve both bared their fangs and sank them into their squealing and struggling victim. The blood that spilled out onto the bed would be a pain to clean up later, but it was worth it to enjoy the taste of this handsome man. The two would pull away from their meal only for brief moments where they could make out with each other and taste the blood on each other's lips. Just as the light finally left their victim's eyes, Maleficent's voice began to echo in Russell's mind.

"To me, my Overtakers!"

"Fuck," Russell cursed as a stream of blood escaped his mouth.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Steve asked, suddenly growing concerned. "Is there somethin' wrong with him? Did I grab a bad human?"

"No, sweetheart, no, you did great," Russell assured him. "Maleficent's just callin' a meetin' of the Core Overtakers, and I got the buzz from it in my head."

"Oh, I see," Steve said. "I guess she didn't want me around for it."

Russell placed a sympathetic hand on Steve's shoulders. "That's her loss. Besides, we all know you're the one who keeps the Overtakers' public image together in one piece."

Russell wiped his mouth clean with his handkerchief and took off for the Altar of Fright, leaving Steve alone to dispose of the body.

* * *

"Grimhilde, DARLING!" Cruella said as she strutted into Grimhilde's chambers. "Take a gander at my new outfit!"

Grimhilde glanced over to see Cruella wearing a black dress with white accents and stripes of sparkling sequins. The dress had dramatic shoulder pads to match Cruella's dramatic personality, and the black hat on her head had a light veil draped over her face. Most notably, however, was the large black and white fur cape that was draped over her and followed after her with a long train.

"Isn't it simply smashing?" Cruella asked as she twirled around as best she could.

"Very lovely indeed," Grimhilde said as she petted the fur. "What type of fur is this?"

"Wolf," Cruella answered. "An _absurd_ amount of wolf!"

Cruella let out an exaggerated laugh at that remark, and Grimhilde certainly believed it. After all, the cape was enormous and long. It must've taken at least five wolves to make.

"I take it you chose this coat to taunt that Big Bad Wolf that Newlin has hanging about," Grimhilde said slyly.

"Darling, you wound me," Cruella replied. "You're absolutely correct, but even still."

The two women laughed together wickedly, enjoying the moment. However, Grimhilde's laughter turned to a cough, and she doubled over in pain. Cruella rushed over to help her girlfriend, but Grimhilde held out her hand to indicate that Cruella should stand back. Cruella instantly understood why when she saw how wrinkled and gnarled Grimhilde's hand looked. After a few moments of transformation, Grimhilde was the hag once more. She wiped a dab of drool off her chin and scowled at the interruption to their lovely time.

"Oh, darling, is there really no cure for this hideousness?" Cruella asked.

"I fear not," Grimhilde said, shaking her head. "The hag is a part of me now, just as much as my beautiful queenly form."

"Well, I suppose, just like my inability to kill, it's something we both have to learn to live with," Cruella remarked. "Life is, after all, so unfair."

"Quite so," Grimhilde nodded. "And yet... despite everything, it is rather freeing to be the hag once more!"

Grimhilde let out a long cackle to punctuate her meaning, and Cruella, caught up in the contagiousness of the laughter, joined in as well. However, their evil laughter was soon interrupted by a voice in Grimhilde's mind.

"To me, my Overtakers!"

"I fear I must be off, dearie," Grimhilde said. "Maleficent calls!"

"Go on then," Cruella said with a smirk. "Show her why you're the most valuable member of the entire Overtakers."

And then Cruella did something she'd never done before whilst Grimhilde was in her haggard form: she gave her girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. Grimhilde was too stunned by the gesture to say anything. She simply nodded and hobbled off. Yet the feeling of Cruella's kiss remained with her and made Grimhilde feel a strange stirring in her heart the likes of which she hadn't felt before.

* * *

Loki entered Doom's chambers with a dramatic twirl of his cape. Doom, however, was staring out the window, not even paying attention to the dramatic entrance. Loki huffed to himself at his entrance not having been noticed... or at least Doom having pretended not to notice.

"My good doctor, I have returned at last!" Loki declared in order to draw attention to himself.

"Hmm? You were gone?" Doom asked. "I had not noticed."

Loki wrapped his arms around Doom from behind. "You should know better than anyone that you cannot lie to the Liesmith. Did poor Victor miss me?"

Doom grunted and shoved Loki off of him. "You should not have gone on your little revenge excursion without me. What if Odin had learned of your presence?"

"I ensured that he would not," Loki answered. "Really, Victor, it's most unbecoming of you to behave like this."

"You and I have been in league _together_ from the beginning!" Doom snapped as he turned to face Loki. "I included _you_ in my dealings with the Fantastic Fools and the rebirth of Latveria! Yet you did not even see fit to _ask_ if I would be interested in joining your little excursion."

Loki was slightly taken aback by this outburst, but he instantly understood. He'd made his lover feel unwanted and ignored, and for a man with Doom's ego, such an affront stung all the more. To a lesser man, Loki might've enjoyed toying with such feelings, but Doom, as ever, was different.

"Victor, I... _apologize_ ," Loki said, the word tasting foreign on his tongue. "I simply assumed that with Richards's demise being so fresh a wound, it would be unbecoming to bring you on such an excursion."

"I care little what assumption or intent supported your decision," Doom huffed. "It would have been _my_ choice, within _my_ power, to deny the invitation were it outside the realm of my comfort. Yet you made that decision for me, and in turn you left me alone with my misery."

"And had I known the pain this would have inflicted, I would have chosen differently," Loki admitted. "I behaved in a matter that was thoughtless and cruel... and not in the way that either of us enjoys."

"Doom does not dispute this," he responded.

Loki placed a hand against his lover's metal mask. "Allow me the opportunity to make amends."

Doom wordlessly agreed to allow Loki the chance. He removed his mask and pulled back his hood, exposing his scarred yet still handsome face and chestnut hair. Loki ran his fingers through Doom's... or rather, _Victor's_ hair and leaned in for a kiss. As their lips met, neither were entirely eager to pull apart and the voracity in both of their hearts took a hold. It didn't take long for capes, tunics, and pieces of armor to be discarded onto the bedroom floor as the two exposed their entire selves to each other.

Soon the kissing took them to the bed, and then the kissing evolved into a more pleasurable activity with such passion as to give Russell's sensitive hearing a show. After both men received release, they laid next to each other beneath the green silk sheets, with Victor's arm wrapped around Loki and Loki's head and hand resting on Victor's chest.

"I have missed this," Loki said as he nuzzled his head against Victor's chest hair. "Will that suffice regarding the making of amends?"

"A fair first installment," Victor answered, and Loki couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that.

"So did you do anything of interest whilst I was away?" Loki asked.

"My presence single-handedly lifted Hades from his stupor," Victor answered.

"Really? You? Alone?" Loki asked with a sly smirk.

"Grimhilde, Jafar, and Fish _were_ of some help," Doom admitted.

"Ah, indeed," Loki said as he flashed a knowing grin towards Victor.

"Your devilish smile is unsettling," Victor said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, there is quite a simple way to rid yourself of it," Loki teased.

"Hmph," Victor said as he leaned in for another kiss.

As the two locked lips, a voice began to echo in both of their minds.

"To me, my Overtakers!"

Victor and Loki groaned together in unison, but they knew it was unfortunately time to end their evening of pleasure. They threw off the sheets and magically dressed themselves back in their usual ensembles. As Victor returned the metal mask to his face, he became Doctor Doom once again.

"A pity you still feel the need to hide your face," Loki remarked. "The other Overtakers have, after all, already glanced upon your true visage."

Victor paused and removed the mask again. "Perhaps... this once... it can be done without."

Loki grinned and placed a tender kiss directly on Victor's scar. Victor simply rolled his eyes at the gesture and held out his arm.

"Shall we?" Victor asked.

Loki took his arm and laughed. "We shall!"

* * *

Hook entered Jafar's laboratory with a dejected and defeated expression on his face. His entire body language indicated shame and defeat, and when Jafar saw him entering the room, he immediately rose from his bench and crossed over to greet his boyfriend.

"What's the matter?" Jafar asked. "What became of your revenge quest?"

Hook let out a deep beleaguered sigh before answering. "Well, you see, what unfortunately happened...."

But Hook's smile betrayed his ruse, and he answered with impassioned joy, "is the Crocodile is finally _DEAD!_ "

Jafar broke out into celebratory laughter. "Yes! YES! YOU DID IT!"

Jafar wrapped his arms around Hook, and Hook returned the gesture. The two locked lips and spun around the lab, only just barely avoiding knocking the beakers and glassware off the work bench.

"Here, we simply MUST celebrate!" Jafar said as he released Hook. "I believe I still have some of that nice bottle of Toniray tucked away in my cabinet!"

Hook grinned. "A fine treat indeed!"

"And what became of Emma Swan?" Jafar asked as he summoned up a pair of champagne glasses. "Oh please tell me you made the shrew _suffer!_ "

Hook's face fell. "Oh... well, you see, I decided to let her live."

"You fooled me with that little ruse before," Jafar said with a laugh. "It won't work a second time! Now tell me what _actually_ happened."

Jafar filled both glasses with the electric blue champagne.

"That _is_ what actually happened," Hook admitted. "You can ask Loki or Russell for confirmation. I slew Rumplestiltskin, but I thought it best to leave Swan alive."

Jafar's expression turned puzzled as he handed a glass to Hook and kept one for himself. "Why ever would you do a thing like that? Did you murder her son and leave her alive to suffer?"

"No," Hook said as he shook his head. "We... talked. And we both realized we were wrong for one another. It made me realize... I don't want Emma dead. I just want her out of my life forever."

" _Death_ accomplishes that," Jafar pointed out.

"She didn't wrong me the way Rumplestiltskin did," Hook argued. "She tried to love me. Poorly, but she _tried_. And it just simply didn't feel like good form to sentence her to death for not being _you_."

"I hope you're quite certain of your decision," Jafar said.

"I am," Hook nodded. "And besides, with Rumplestiltskin gone, I never have to set foot in that miserable little town ever again. If I never have to endure the overpriced lasagna of Granny's Diner ever again, it'll be far too soon."

"Then let us not soil the celebration any further," Jafar said as he raised his glass. "To the death of Rumplestiltskin!"

"To finally skinning myself a crocodile!" Hook said as he clinked his glass against Jafar's.

The two men drank their champagne and enjoyed the feeling of the powerful burn on the way down.

"Ah!" Jafar said as he smacked his lips. "That was _invigorating!_ "

"Aye, it was," Hook said as he held up his flask. "But I believe I require a rum chaser."

"You remain ever predictable," Jafar said with a chuckle.

Hook took a swig from his flask, put it away, and shrugged. "Well, if I were entirely predictable, would I do this?"

Hook undid the latch on his belt and dropped his trousers to the floor, revealing his lack of undergarments beneath. Jafar raised his eyebrows with interest as Hook undid the buttons on his vest and exposed his hairy chest as well.

"Perhaps you might see something you fancy," Hook said with a sly smirk.

Jafar's grin widened. "I suppose I do indeed...."

Jafar's human form melted away, and the muscular form of Jafar's genie form replaced it. As the smoke-like tail transformed into a pare of strong bare legs, Hook licked his lips at the sight. The two men then began to indulge their carnal desires and quickly became swept away in pleasure and ecstasy. Making love to Jafar in his genie form was like making love with the universe, and Hook knew he never could have known such pleasure had he stayed with Emma Swan. After a while, both of their wishes were granted, and the two laid beside one another, panting to catch their breath.

"Bloody Hell, you're fantastic," Hook said as he ran the point of his hook gently across Jafar's chest.

"I am well aware," Jafar replied with a laugh.

But as with the others, a voice interrupted the moment.

"To me, my Overtakers!"

Hook groaned. "Must we?"

"Unfortunately so," Jafar sighed. "But I give you my word we shall continue again at the earliest convenience."

Hook kissed Jafar's lips, and then quickly pulled away. "A promise sealed by a kiss."

The two men took their time dressing, and once they both were fully clothed, Jafar whisked them both away to answer Maleficent's summons.

* * *

Maleficent and Hades watched as the other eight Overtakers arrived at the Altar of Fright. First came Fish and Ursula, and then Grimhilde hobbled up the stairs, surprising everyone with her haggard appearance after they'd seen her looking so beautiful earlier. Russell dashed up next, still wiping blood off of his chin. Victor and Loki followed arm in arm at their own pace, with Victor's face exposed for all his allies to see. Then, finally, Jafar and Hook made their entrance in a plume of red smoke.

"Welcome, my dear friends, and thank you all for coming," Maleficent began.

A chorus of "oh yeah, no problem" was grumbled amongst the other eight, even though none of them had been particularly keen on attending.

"For the first matter at hand, we have several accomplishments to recognize," Maleficent said with a grin. "Firstly, I would like to acknowledge Ursula for her aid in Castle Oblivion. She and our other allies proved their mettle against not only Xemnas but a manifestation of my own father. And for that, she deserves praise."

"Oh, it was nothing," Ursula said as the others applauded lightly. "You can still clap though! HA!"

"Secondly," Maleficent continued. "We have three acts of vengeance that have been met. Thanks to Loki, Russell, and Hook, we can all celebrate the deaths of the Lady Sif of Odin's Court, the vampire Eric Northman, and, most importantly, the former Dark One Rumplestiltskin."

The other Overtakers applauded lightly.

"Did you expect anything less from the God of Mischief?" Loki asked with a laugh.

"Oh, it wasn't any trouble," Russell said with a grin. "I'd been itchin' to destroy a small town for a while."

"It was my absolute pleasure," Hook said as he held up his hook thoughtfully. "I've been hunting that crocodile for centuries."

"Thirdly," Maleficent went on. "For going above and beyond the call of duty to aid a fellow Overtaker by reminding Hades of his worth, I must extend my deep personal thanks to Grimhilde, Jafar, Fish, and Doom."

More applause.

"Of course, dearie," Grimhilde said with a chuckle. "Old granny knows how to motivate a dark heart."

"Let us hope that is the final time he'll need reminding," Jafar said with a sneer.

"I'm always happy to lend a hand," Fish said with a smirk. "Even if that hand _does_ have a touch of venom on it."

"He said it himself," Victor nodded. "He's the Lord of Death!"

"And finally, I must recognize one other accomplishment," Maleficent concluded. "It is the reason I have called us here this evening. As some of you are already aware, Hades has managed to use the powers of Erebus to finally repair the Black Cauldron, our unmatched weapon of dark powers!"

The Overtakers applauded once more.

"Hey, couldn't've done it without the kick in the pants," Hades said with a grin.

"And now, it is my wish that you all are present to bear witness to the cauldron's power!" Maleficent said as she spread her arms out wide. "For you all have been an invaluable part of furthering the goals of the Overtakers, and thus this is all of our victories!"

Maleficent positioned herself behind the cauldron, and Hades summoned forth the skeletal remains of warriors from every era and ilk. The orb of Maleficent's staff began to glow and one of the skeletons was dropped into the iron crucible. Two bolts of lightning struck the cauldron, and it began to bubble a sickly green liquid.

"Now I call upon _our_ army of the dead, the Cauldron Born!" Maleficent proclaimed, reciting the Cauldron's command. "Arise my messengers of death! Our time has arrived!"

The Black Cauldron began to quiver and shake at its mistress's words. Maleficent raised her arms into the air dramatically and the cauldron responded in kind. A pillar of fire erupted from the cauldron and shot into the air. The other Overtakers watched in awe at the sight as a hideous face took form in the flames. Hook rested his head on Jafar's shoulder as if they were watching a fireworks display. The face grimaced horrifically before it and the flames were swiftly sucked back into the pot.

As it had before, green mist began to creep out of the cauldron and slither about through the army of corpses littering the hall. The mist soon blanketed the entire altar and seemed to take a liquid form. Suddenly, from beneath the surface, the skeletons began to emerge and peel themselves up from the gel like liquid. The other Overtakers joined together in wicked laughter as the undead soldiers began to walk once more.

Maleficent grinned as her soldiers began to march. "This is it, this power! Darkness! The true DARKNESS!"


	32. Happy Haunts Materialize

The old brick mansion towered against the night sky, its silhouette dark and imposing. The cool autumn air was crisp and caused all those outside to clutch their jackets for warmth whenever the wind would pick up to tussle the yellowing leaves. Local legend said that the mansion was haunted, and the Overtakers knew that to be quite true. Maleficent and Hades approached the mansion, arm in arm.

"Ah, gotta love Halloween," Hades said as he took in a deep breath. "It's technically our anniversary, babe. That give ya any ideas?"

"It sure gives me a few, daddy!" Blackheart said as he put his arms around Hades and Maleficent and poked his head out between theirs.

"Remove your arm from my person or lose the arm," Maleficent warned.

"You're a horrible little hellion, ya know that?" Hades asked as Blackheart let go of both of them.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Blackheart said as he placed a mocking hand over his heart.

Behind the dysfunctional trio, Jafar, Hook, Loki, Doom, and Grimhilde followed and made up a moderately more functional quintet.

"Why did we have to bring the bloody demon along?" Hook asked with a sigh as he gestured towards Blackheart. "The rest of us are all part of the inner circle. I'd have far preferred bringing Russell, Fish, or Ursula."

"I quite enjoy having Blackheart around, personally," Loki remarked. "After all, he was present for last year's Halloween excursion as well. You, Hook, on the other hand, were _not_ so fortuitous."

"Besides, Ursula and Fish are spending Halloween with their wayward children, and Russell wanted to take Steve for a Halloween bloodbath," Grimhilde added as she hobbled her way down the path.

"Are you _quite_ certain you are up to this task, Grimhilde?" Jafar asked. "Your hag form puts you at a disadvantage, and I won't stand for your slowing the rest of us down."

"Watch yourself, dearie," Grimhilde warned. "You may be a genie, but I can still curse circles around you! After all, _I_ didn't gain my powers from a genie's gift."

"But he does bring a valid point to light," Doom chimed in, coming to Jafar's defense. "None doubt your value to our team, but your old age makes you a liability, particularly inside a mansion of restless spirits."

"Let me worry about myself," Grimhilde snapped. "I'll be fine. You just make sure you can do your part."

"I personally have the utmost faith in the queen," Hook said. "She's never let us down before, and trust me when I say I've known an evil queen who proved to be quite disappointing."

"Is that 'known' as in biblically?" Loki asked with a smirk.

Hook grinned. "Well-"

"Spare me the tale of another one of your perverse escapades!" Jafar snapped.

"Indeed, spare us _all_ ," Doom agreed.

"Steel yourselves," Maleficent cautioned as she turned to face her associates. "Dispose of all doubts at once. Ghosts prey upon the unsure and the insecure. I will not have them getting the better of us."

The group walked past a graveyard featuring tombstones inscribed with humorous anecdotes about the deaths of the mansion's formerly living residents. The doors of the mansion crept open on their own as the Overtakers approached them.

"How accommodating," Hook said as they proceeded past the threshold.

"When hinges creak in doorless chambers," an Ethereal voice moaned as the Overtakers entered the foyer, "and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still. That is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!"

"Lovely speech, eerie delivery," Hades complimented. "Ever considered renting yourself out as a public speaker?"

"It appears we've given a particularly theatrical ghost an audience," Maleficent sneered. "Be on your guard, for he may have mischief in mind."

There was only one door in the foyer, leading to a room better lit than the one they were presently in. The group continued forward into this second room. It was a gallery with striped walls and a warm yet discomforting light radiated from candles being held by cast iron gargoyles. On the walls were four old timey looking portraits of various individuals: an old woman holding a rose, a man in a brown suit sporting a bowler hat, a young lady holding a peach colored parasol, and a bearded man dressed to look quite official.

"Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion!" the ethereal voice returned.

"Mortal? HA!" Hades scoffed. "You're a little off on that one, but keep goin'. I'm mildly entertained."

Maleficent shot Hades a venomous glare but remained silent.

"I am your host," it resumed, "your _ghost_ host. Our tour begins here in this gallery where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state."

"We're not here for any tours, spirit," Doom bellowed. "We are here with an agenda of our own that still is yet to be fulfilled."

But the Ghost Host ignored him. "Kindly step all the way in please. There's no turning back now!"

With a grim chuckle from the host, the door leading back to the foyer slammed shut behind them. At the slamming of the door, Blackheart bared his fangs, Hook drew his sword, and Jafar held up his staff in preparation to throw a spell. Grimhilde, however, caught all three of their eyes and shook her head. It was not yet time to engage in a battle.

"Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding," the Ghost Host taunted, noticing the fear creeping onto their faces, "almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis."

At that suggestion, Loki suddenly became very aware of the fact that the room around them seemed to be changing. The walls seemed to be elongating, and the portraits on the walls were beginning to take a grizzly turn, revealing the old woman to be sitting atop a headstone, the man in the hat to be on the shoulders of two other men sinking in quicksand, the girl to be standing on a tight rope over a hungry alligator, and the official looking man to be standing in his boxers atop a barrel of dynamite.

"Is this haunted room actually stretching?" the Host asked. "Or is it your imagination, hmm?"

"Your cheap parlor tricks do not amuse me, spirit," Maleficent said. "I ask that you cease wasting my time at once!"

"But consider this dismaying observation," the Host continued. "This chamber has no windows and no doors."

The Overtakers turned back towards the door that they had entered only to find that it had now vanished.

"The spirit got rid of the door altogether!" Jafar growled.

"Which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!" the Host laughed maniacally at the dilemma he created.

"I shall simply _make_ a way out!" Grimhilde replied with a smirk.

Summoning up all of her dark energy, Grimhilde unleashed a dark spell upon the walls to burn a hole through them. However, it soon became apparent that her spell had been unsuccessful.

"What?!" she shouted. "Spirit, I swear to you, release us at once or I shall imprison you in one of my mirrors for all eternity!"

"Yeah, I'm about sick of this place already," Hades growled.

"Steady yourselves," Maleficent hissed.

"Oh? No way out?" the ghost teased. "Well, of course, there's always my way."

The candles all suddenly extinguished, lightning crackled, and an ear piercing scream echoed throughout the room. Up in the rafters, a body hung by a noose became visible through the darkness.

"Are we supposed to be scared by a dead body?" Blackheart asked. "Because this just turns me on."

"Oh, I didn’t mean to frighten you prematurely," the Ghost Host said as the lights came back up.

"No fear of that, we are not so easily frightened," Loki declared before he turned his glance towards Jafar and Hook.

Jafar and Hook detached themselves from each other and began to act as if they'd never been scared at all. Loki simply rolled his eyes.

"Mortal fools," he huffed under his breath.

"The real chills come later," the Host promised. "Now, as they say, 'look alive,' and we'll continue our little tour. And let’s all stay together, _please_."

A panel of the wall opened, leading into the next room. Maleficent proceeded onwards with determination and beckoned for the Overtakers to follow her. Hades, Grimhilde, Blackheart, Doom, and Loki all obeyed.

"There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts all over the world," the Host explained as the Overtakers crossed the threshold. "Actually, we have nine-hundred and ninety-nine happy haunts here, but there’s room for a thousand. Any volunteers?"

The Ghost Host laughed at his little remark as the Overtakers filed into the next room: a large main hall decorated with creepy cobwebs and connecting twisted hallways and numerous doors. Jafar and Hook, however, remained behind in the stretching room.

"I have little interest in obeying the whims of a mischievous spirit!" Jafar snapped.

"Aye, it feels as though we're stepping into a trap," Hook added.

"If you insist on lagging behind, you may not _need_ to volunteer," the Ghost Host threatened as a chilled wind blew against Jafar and Hook's backs.

The two men exchanged a glance and briskly dashed to catch up with the others.

"There are many paths to take," Maleficent remarked. "Doubtless our host will make himself known no matter the path we embark upon."

"Perhaps we should divide and conquer," Doom suggested. "We can cover more ground and discover all that there is to know regarding this estate."

Everyone agreed with Doom's suggestion and paired off to venture further into the mansion. The three couples stayed with each other, and that left Grimhilde and Blackheart to form the fourth pair.

* * *

Jafar and Hook made their way down the first hallway, past several doors that appeared to be breathing as if they were the lungs for the entire house. The two men looked on at these strange sights with disgust and quickly scurried past them.

"This entire house of horrors is like something from my worst rum-induced nightmares," Hook remarked with a sneer of disgust.

"A sensation I'm quite relieved to know nothing of," Jafar said with a sneer.

"This place is a gathering place of poor departed souls," Hook said as he and Jafar proceeded further down the hall. "Do you suppose we'll encounter any of the people we've sent to an early grave?"

"Worried about coming face to face with Rumplestiltskin again?" Jafar asked as he raised his eyebrow.

"The thought had crossed my mind," Hook admitted. "As did a few other ghosts from my past."

"It is difficult to say," Jafar admitted as he stroked his beard. "Transcending worlds is uncommon but not unheard of regarding those who have shed the mortal coil. I suppose be ready for anything."

Jafar and Hook made their way into the Mansion's library, a dimly lit room with wall to wall bookshelves interrupted only by bizarre stone busts that seemed to always be looking directly at whomever was looking at them. Random books would, without warning be removed from shelves by an invisible hand and replaced on another shelf.

"Our library is well-stocked with priceless first editions... only ghost stories, of course," the Ghost Host narrated, startling Jafar and Hook. "And marble busts of the greatest ghost writers the literary world has ever known. They have all retired here to the Haunted Mansion."

"I've never exactly been considered the bookish type," Hook replied, thinking back to Rumplestiltskin's simpering Stepford wife Belle and her obsession with books of any sort.

"I myself was an avid reader during my time in boarding school," Jafar said as he studied the book shelf. "I quite enjoyed tales of fantasy, adventure, and sorcery. They captivated my imagination as a boy. As a matter of fact, I was very fond of the tales of Sinbad, a dashing pirate rogue with a taste for adventure."

Hook grinned at that. "Ah, so you fantasized about me before you even knew me."

"Don't be absurd," Jafar replied. "You're far less competent than Sinbad."

Hook's grin soured into a scowl as Jafar flashed him a teasing smirk.

"Honestly, I'm _surprised_ you've never been one to read," Jafar remarked as he turned back to the bookshelf. "I thought you of all people would appreciate a good pirate story."

"Never had much of a chance to get my hand on books," Hook lamented. "I spent most of my boyhood on the high seas. I was taught to read and write, but reading material of any interest to a young boy was scarce."

Jafar plucked a book off the shelf and opened it up. Water immediately began to pour out of the pages of the book and splashed all over the floor. Jafar closed the book and tossed it aside as he stepped away from the puddle.

" _The Drowning Kind_ ," Jafar said, answering Hook's unspoken question regarding the book's title.

"Ah," Hook nodded. "Well, I don't believe what we're looking for is among these shelves. I suggest we move on."

"Very well," Jafar agreed as he glanced back over the bookshelves. "I suppose there's little use for any light reading, after all."

Hook proceeded towards the door but stopped short when something caught his eye. He glanced over the shelf closest to the door and located the spine of the book he'd noticed a second ago.

"What have you found?" Jafar asked when he noticed Hook had stopped.

"This one here says 'Journal of Captain Nathaniel Flint,'" Hook read. "He's the one who built Treasure Planet with my mother. The tome might have something within its pages that I've yet to learn regarding my mother."

Hook reached out to grab the book, but before he could take it, an invisible hand removed it and restocked the book on another shelf. Hook grumbled under his breath and proceeded over to the journal's new location. He reached out once more, and again, an invisible hand grabbed the book before Hook could. This time, the journal was restocked on a shelf higher than Hook could reach.

"Bloody ghosts," Hook said through gritted teeth.

"Allow me to use a touch of magic," Jafar offered.

Jafar held up his snake staff and the eyes of the staff flashed red as he summoned the book to his hand. Jafar held the journal up triumphantly, but, when he did, the shelves began to rumble with anger.

"What did you do?" Hook asked

"Apparently magic is frowned upon in this library," Jafar remarked.

Suddenly, books began to fly off the shelves left and right, flying and flapping about as if they were a swarm of birds. The books descended upon Jafar and Hook, bonking against them and leaving paper cuts on any exposed skin they could find. Hook swatted at the books with his hook, and Jafar started setting them on fire between screams. This did little more but turn the attacking books into _flaming_ attacking books.

"Let's take our leave!" Hook suggested as he ran out the library door.

"INDEED!" Jafar shouted as he flew after his boyfriend.

All the while, the swarm of books chased the villains down that hall to recover their stolen brethren.

* * *

The dining hall and ballroom were bustling with ghosts eating, drinking, and making merry. The organist played a familiar tune, and spirit couples waltzed to it as if it were their first time hearing the music. Hades and Maleficent entered upon this happy scene and regarded it with amusement. It was clearly a Halloween Ball judging by the masquerade masks and the variety of jack-o-lanterns scattered about.

"The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize," the Ghost Host narrated. "They’re assembling for a _swinging_ wake, and they’ll be expecting me… I’ll see you all a little later."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Cute, no, really."

"A party in which we were not invited to attend," Maleficent mockingly lamented.

"Must've lost our invites in the mail," Hades quipped. "Hermes is the WORST about deliverin' the post ever since we killed him. The nerve of some gods, am I right? Catchy song they've got playin' though."

"It is a lively tune indeed," Maleficent noted. "Perhaps... we could spare a moment to dance."

"On it, babe!" Hades said with a grin. "Oh, but a couple o' swingers like us deserve the whole dancefloor to ourselves... Watch this. Look what I can do."

Hades cleared his throat and strolled out to the center of the ballroom. "Ahem! Attention, wayward spirits who are NOT in the Underworld! You all should know who I am: I'm HADES, Lord of the Dead!"

The ghosts shrieked and all vanished or flew away, desperately hoping to avoid Hades dragging them down to the Underworld, the realm they had all forsaken. The organist attempted to do the same, but he was snagged by a smoky wisp before he could escape.

"Not you," Hades said as he dragged him back to the pipe organ. "You, your debt to me is gonna be settled right here and right now."

"Oh please, Lord Hades, mercy," the Organist begged.

"I _am_ bein' merciful," Hades said. "Now play!"

"What?" he asked.

"PLAY! NOW!" Hades demanded.

The Organist did as he was ordered and began to play the jaunty tune once more. Hades offered his hand to Maleficent who graciously accepted. The two stepped out onto the dancefloor and began to waltz in time with the music. The Organist didn't dare stop playing as the two spun and pranced and laughed. After all, to Maleficent and Hades, it simply wasn't a party unless they showed up without being invited and ruined it for everybody else.

* * *

Loki pushed open the creaky wooden door to the dust and cobwebbed covered attic. He peered in as Doom pushed forward and strutted in without any hesitation.

"Careful," Loki cautioned. "In your heavy armor, you're liable to fall right through these rotting floor boards."

"Bah!" Doom scoffed. "I am far above such a clumsy error!"

Loki sneered and instantly devised an amusing prank. Loki spotted a large hole in the floor a few feet away from Doom. As quietly as possible, Loki created an illusion of solid flooring to cover up the hole. Just as expected, Doom stepped exactly where he shouldn't have and fell through the floor with a yelp. Loki cackled hysterically as Doom flew back up from his tumble into the hole.

"You are a horrible person," Doom spat as he landed back on sturdy ground.

"Yes, I am," Loki agreed. "And _that_ is what makes _me_ the God of Mischief."

"Be silent!" Doom ordered.

Loki's brow furrowed. "You DARE to command me to-"

"No, no, listen!" Doom hissed. "The music playing!"

Loki begrudgingly went silent and did as Doom said. They both could hear the music that was playing from the other side of the attic: a somber and haunting rendition of a bridal march being played on a piano. The two men proceeded past several cobweb covered pieces of furniture. A portrait leaning against a cabinet depicted a groom with a young bride, but upon a second glance, Doom and Loki found that the groom was missing his head.

"Encouraging," Doom mused. "It seems we've found the lair of a blushing bride to be."

As Doom and Loki proceeded deeper into the attic, they passed four more portraits of the same bride with four different husbands. Yet all of the portraits had something in common: upon second glance, the grooms' heads would vanish.

"The further we proceed, the more I admire this woman," Loki said with a chuckle. "Had I the power to behead Sigyn with impunity, perhaps I would not have been chained to that wretch in unholy matrimony."

"You never _do_ speak of your ex-wife," Doom noted. "Why ever did you wed her in the first place if you loathed her so?"

"In Asgard, as on Earth, one's manhood lives and dies upon his ability to find a beautiful woman to make his own," Loki relayed. "I took Sigyn's hand in marriage as a means of saving face before Thor, Odin, and, yea, all of Asgard. I already did not subscribe to their ideals of masculinity and barbarism given my intellectual and wordsmith nature. My attraction to men was not something I wished to have further isolate me from society."

"Your story is unfortunately not uncommon," Doom lamented. "I never personally felt shame or reason to hide my interest in either men or women, for I am Doom and thus superior to any standards the sheep around me think to impose. If one is worthy of my affection, then they are worthy. Who are those corn-fed peasants to say otherwise? However, I have known many who have struggled with how they were born, particularly in America with its government by the ignorant rabble. Doom, on the other hand, has enforced legal same-sex marriage in Latveria since he took the throne."

"Had I only been fortuitous enough to be raised in your kingdom," Loki wistfully said. "Even after my emancipation from Asgard, though I took male lovers, I would never have considered it a part of my identity the way that I do now. Were it not for the acceptance of the Overtakers and Ursula and Fish's insufferably good-natured jests, I might never have truly embraced the notion of being a gay man."

"We are all the better for having forged the Overtakers," Doom agreed. "Once the Overtakers rule the universe, we shall ensure than it is a universe free of such bigotry... a universe where all know that they are all equal to each other in that they are all _equally_ beneath _us_."

Loki laughed at that. "A fine universe indeed!"

"Heeeeere comes the bride," an ethereal voice sang as a blue translucent phantom flew into view. "Will either of you be mine?" she asked sweetly before summoning a hatchet to her hands. "Till DEATH do we part!"

Loki and Doom glanced at the ghostly bride and then back at one another. Doom dismissed his facemask and swept Loki off his feet for a kiss worthy of cinema. The bride ghost looked on at them with confusion and uncomfortability. As the two men pulled apart from the kiss, Loki flashed a coy smirk at the bride.

"So sorry to disappoint, but you'll find no grooms to ensnare among us," Loki said with a laugh as Doom replaced his mask.

The bride quickly regained composure and laughed sadistically. "You think your particular peculiarity will spare you? I do not need to take your hand to take your _head!_ "

Loki drew his staff, and Doom's hands began to glow with dark sorcery.

"We invite you to try," Doom challenged.

Then came a ghostly wail, a flash of magic, and a loud clatter. By the time a second had passed, the ghostly bride was gone and only visible in the reflection of the blade of her hatchet. Doom and Loki joined arms and laughed triumphantly at their victory.

"And now she shall be had and be held in sickness and in health by her only true love," Loki mused as he picked up the hatchet and admired his captured spirit, "her instrument of _death_."

* * *

The rotund ghost screamed out in agony as its soul was burned to nothingness upon being touched by Blackheart. The powers of Hellfire destroyed the happy haunt as if the jolly old soul had never existed.

"That's what you get for implying I had leery eyes," Blackheart sneered.

Grimhilde groaned. "He said _eerie_ eyes, you malevolent fool."

"Oh, that makes a difference," Blackheart admitted. "My eyes _are_ fairly eerie."

"I'm beginning to understand why Chernabog never had a son," Grimhilde said with a roll of her eyes. "Come along. We must find the Madame as quickly as possible!"

"I wonder if she used to have streetwalking whores working for her," Blackheart pondered.

"She's not that type of Madame," Grimhilde snapped. "Do you think I'm in any way more amused by your antics than Maleficent was, dearie? If you cannot conduct yourself properly, I shall trap you in one of my magic mirrors until you learn obedience!"

Blackheart's expression darkened. "You can try it, you wretched old hag!"

"You will not speak to me in such a manner!" Grimhilde warned. "My patience with you wears thin."

"You're old and frail," Blackheart hissed. "And I am the prince of HELL!"

Blackheart angrily fired a blast of Hellfire upon Grimhilde.

"Black of Night!" Grimhilde called out as she morphed into the shadows to evade the blast.

Blackheart laughed. "Hiding? Smart for an old weakling like you!"

"Scream of Fright!" Grimhilde's voice echoed as a phantasmal screaming cloud came roaring at Blackheart.

Blackheart covered his ears and gritted his teeth as the spell circled around him. Even though he rarely experienced fear itself, the spell caused fright to cloud his mind and disorient him. He was, in fact, so disoriented, that he did not noticed Grimhilde reappearing behind him.

"An Old Hag's Cackle!" Grimhilde called out as a wicked witch's laughter echoed in Blackheart's ears.

Bubbles and wisps of smoke in shades of red, gold, and olive began to float out of Blackheart and into Grimhilde. Blackheart sunk to one knee as he could feel Grimhilde sucking the strength and energy out of his body. As he struggled to catch his breath, Grimhilde's gnarled old fingernails ran through his ebony hair.

"A lesson I see Mephisto failed to impart upon you before his passing," Grimhilde said as she helped Blackheart up to his feet. "You're only as powerful as you are cleverer than your opponent."

Blackheart angrily brushed her off and stormed further down the hall, humiliated by his defeat.

"You're blessed with Eldritch powers few possess," Grimhilde continued. "Even amongst the Overtakers, you are mighty. Yet what have you done with all your power? You prance about with your ego and your little jokes, all the while you remain lazy and expend your energy only for trivialities and for the will of others."

"You don't know me at all, witch," Blackheart hissed.

"Of course I do," Grimhilde countered. "Your father is dead. His throne is empty. Yet you haven't claimed your rightful place as the King of Hell. Why?"

"I _was_ the King of Hell once!" Blackheart snapped. "Killed my father and everything. But then the Ghost Rider usurped my throne and foiled my plans to rule the worlds! Then Mephisto found his way back, and that was that. It was all for nothing. Hell, I couldn't even kill Mephisto a second time. I needed Loki and Doom to do that for me. Every single plan I've ever hatched has been for _nothing!_ Why should I waste my time taking back something I already failed spectacularly to hold onto?"

"Because it's _yours_ , and no one else deserves it," Grimhilde answered. "You are Mephisto's son and heir, and the throne of Hell is yours by Infernal right! We've all known the bitter taste of defeat and failure, but part of what makes us the Overtakers is that we never give up."

"I haven't given up," Blackheart argued. "I'm still here building up my place amongst the Overtakers, aren't I? I'm just not wasting my time chasing down my old ambitions."

"Be that as it may, you will come to regret not claiming your father's throne," Grimhilde said plainly.

"What makes you think so?" Blackheart asked.

"Because it's a mistake that I made myself," Grimhilde admitted. "I was but a girl when I lost my mother. I had not yet come into my powers, and so my mother's title of Empress Witch fell to Mammona, the eldest among our clan. Infernal Law dictated that she should have abdicated the throne to me when I came of age, yet I was so concerned with my petty vanities and youthful irresponsibility that I allowed her to remain in power. I did not realize how badly I would want my mother's throne until long after it was no longer mine to claim. But now I'm rectifying my past mistakes, and you should as well!"

Blackheart scratched his chin as he ruminated on Grimhilde's words. On some level, what she said made sense to him, but he still had reservations regarding taking over Hell. Blackheart resolved to give the matter further thought at a later time.

Down the hall a bit, a strange voice was chanting, "Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat, call in the spirits, wherever they’re at!"

"This way," Grimhilde beckoned, and Blackheart followed.

"Rap on a table," the voice continued, "it’s time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond…."

Grimhilde and Blackheart entered into a dark non-descript room lit by candlelight. In the center of the room was a round table covered in a dusty fringe cloth. Floating above the table was a large crystal ball with the image of a woman's face inside. Her complexion was blue and her wild hair faded into green smoke that clouded the glass.

"Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!" the woman beckoned.

Grimhilde pulled a small bell like the one she'd given Ratigan out of the folds of her cloak and gave it a ring, drawing the woman's attention towards the two Overtakers.

"You dare interrupt my séance?" the woman asked. "I am Madame Leota, maestro medium."

"Hey," Blackheart said, realizing something. "Doesn't she sound exactly like-"

"Leave it be," Grimhilde interrupted. "Now then, Leota, you're precisely the woman we came for. Allow me to call forth _my_ friends."

Grimhilde sent out the call, and a flurry of green and blue flames, a flash of green light, and a cloud of red smoke all materialized in the séance room, depositing Hades and Maleficent, Doom and Loki, and Jafar and Hook (both covered in quite a few paper cuts).

"Ah, Madame Leota, I presume?" Maleficent asked. "A most gratifying day indeed that I should be in the company of quite an accomplished witch."

"So you have to the mansion to enlist my help?" Leota asked.

"Is it just me or do they have the same voice?" Hook whispered to Jafar who promptly shushed him.

"I never properly introduced myself before," Grimhilde said as she approached the table. "I am Queen Grimhilde, daughter of Borghilde."

Leota's eyes widened. "Apologies, your majesty. I did not recognize you in your old age."

"You have long been an outspoken critic of Mammona's reign," Grimhilde said. "It is for that reason I wish for your aid and the aid of the ghosts you've summoned to this mansion in my coming attempt to claim the throne of the Empress Witch."

Leota smiled deviously at the thought. "I have awaited this moment for some time, the Return of Borghilde's prodigal daughter. What will you have me do?"

Grimhilde grinned, showing off her missing teeth. "Raise a little Hell!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Haunted Mansion and all associated characters are from Disney's The Haunted Mansion attraction at Walt Disney World.


	33. Wyrd Discoveries

The atmosphere in Fate Mountain was far different than it had been when Doom and Loki last were here. Back then, the Fates were in total control, the masters of destiny across the universe. That seemed like a lifetime ago now. To say Fate Mountain was in chaos was an understatement. The Armageddon Key's destruction of the other gods threw all of destiny out the window, and destiny wasn't recovering any time soon.

"Blasted Hades!" Atropos hissed as she wove the loom. "Using a spell to change the Fates' design with no consideration to what it would actually do to FATE!"

"He's always been inconsiderate! The past paints a clear picture of that!" Lachesis barked.

"Oh, but you can't deny that he _is_ charming," Clotho said shyly as she pulled her hood further over her face (which also served the purpose of hiding that she had the shared eye in her socket).

"Bah!" Lachesis barked. "At least we got him good with that Persephone ordeal!"

"He deserved that!" Atropos agreed.

"I still like him," Clotho admitted. "He and his Overtakers are fun!"

"You're a love-struck witch!" Lachesis derided her sister as she yanked the eye out of Clotho's socket and placed it in her own. "We need to focus! Grab me that ball of yarn that corresponds to Scala ad Caelum!"

As Clotho reached for the yarn, another hand grabbed it away from her first. The Fates looked up from their work at the intruder, who was currently toying with their magic thread.

"Hello ladies," the intruder said. "I am-"

"We know who you are!" Atropos interrupted.

"We know all!" Lachesis boasted.

"You're the one behind the Old Ones returning to power!" Clotho added.

"Got it in one," the intruder replied with a demonic chuckle. "Then I'd imagine you also know why I'm here, and what I intend to do."

"You'll fail!" Lachesis warned. "You're _fated_ to fail!"

"Then it's a very good thing we're living in a post-Armageddon Key universe," the intruder bellowed.

The intruder's hands began to glow with dark energy that was so ancient and so putrid that even the Fates recoiled from it. The three sisters huddled close to one another for protection. The intruder then proceeded to chant the wicked verse.

" _Dim the godly light,_

_change the Fates' design,_

_bring the darkest night,_

_make the darkness divine._

_Darkness divine._ "

"NO!" the Fates cried out as the darkness unraveled the Tapestry of Fate.

All of predestination that the trio of crones worked tirelessly to craft was quite literally coming apart at the seams. The Fates' tapestry was one of the most powerful artifacts in the universe, and without its clearly woven course, the future would be unknowable and up to dramatic changes. Anyone powerful enough could change destiny itself, and the implications of it sent a chill down the Fates' spines.

"We need to retreat, girls!" Atropos said.

Lachesis removed the eye from her socket, and the three Fates flew into the all-seeing magical eye. Before the intruder could stop it, the eye blinked shut and vanished from Fate Mountain along with the Fates.

"No matter," the intruder said as he admired the shredded remains of the Tapestry of Fate. "The opposite of destiny is glorious chaos! And I shall greatly enjoy the chaos to come!"

* * *

Hook sat at his desk with a book open in front of him and the map recovered from Treasure Planet to his left. It was the very same journal that he and Jafar had risked paper cuts galore to take from the Haunted Mansion, once belonging to Captain Flint. As Hook poured over the details, a shadow began to loom over the pages. Hook glanced up from his reading to see Jafar standing in his light.

"I do hope that book was worth our time," Jafar remarked as his fingers absently traced a paper cut across his cheek. "What have you learned?"

"He killed her," Hook said darkly. "My mother."

"Flint?" Jafar asked.

"Aye," Hook nodded. "He was growing suspicious of her, suspected mutiny for weeks from her. She fled for her life to get away from him... Managed to stay off his radar for a couple of years. That's when she had my brother and me. But he caught up to her and reveled in her murder."

"A pity he is long dead and thus unable to be a recipient of your vengeance," Jafar mused.

"Indeed so," Hook grumbled. "But perhaps more relevant to the present, the journal also corroborated what Maleficent and my father told me regarding the existence of my mother's eldest son, Benbow Hawkins. I'm fairly certain he's long dead, but his descendants are still out there if Maleficent is to be believed."

"Any leads regarding their location?" Jafar inquired.

"Flint's journal mentions a world by the name of Montressor where he believed Carina might have hidden her family," Hook answered. "It's a place to begin my search for my surviving family, at any rate."

Jafar stroked his beard as he eyed Hook with suspicion. Hook frowned when he noticed and put the pieces together.

"You don't think I should seek out my family," Hook assumed.

"On the contrary, I think you should," Jafar answered. "But I fear your reasons for finding them are misplaced."

"What the bloody Hell do you mean by that?" Hook asked.

"Your relative who was able to use the map and the portal device is a valuable asset to our cause," Jafar pointed out. "His insight could prove useful for our plan. But you seem to be more concerned with finding those who share your blood out of some misguided sentiment towards your mother, and I fear it'll blind you to what must be done."

Hook scowled. "They're the one link I have left to her, and providence has led our paths to intertwine. I won't lose this opportunity!"

Hook spun his chair around away from Jafar and glanced out the window at the stars above. He had family out there somewhere, and they were within his grasp. Hook just knew it. However, as Hook became lost in thought, Jafar grabbed ahold of Hook's chair and spun it around so that the two men were face to face again. Jafar leaned in close to Hook. He was so close that Hook could see the twisted intensity in Jafar's eyes.

"And what if these relations prove to be as heroic and insufferable as the ones in Storybrooke, hmm?" Jafar asked. "I need to know that I can count on you to remain a ruthless pirate and an Overtaker."

Hook gritted his teeth. "Are you questioning my loyalty?"

"We both know you've slipped on sentiment and allowed it to change you before," Jafar hissed. "If your family is useful to us but they are not amenable to our methods, will you side with them or us?"

Hook's expression softened. "You're worried about losing me to them, aren't you?"

"Don't be absurd," Jafar said as he moved away from Hook and broke eye-contact. "I simply require... assurances that you know who your true family is."

"I would think that answer is obvious," Hook said as he stood from his desk.

"Humor me," Jafar requested as he turned to face his lover.

Hook placed his hand and his hook gently on Jafar's shoulders. "You are my family. You and the other Overtakers. You've always accepted me for who I truly am, and that won't change with these new relations. My mother's descendants will remain simply an addition to that which I have found and built for myself."

"And if they should prove to be the heroes Maleficent thinks them to be?" Jafar asked.

"Then they'll be enemies to reckon with," Hook said, though he hated to consider the thought. "Blood's never been thicker than water for me."

Jafar let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "Very well, then. I'll support this excursion. But if we're to venture forth into a new world, perhaps we should make the best of the opportunity and include several of our allies as well."

Hook nodded in agreement. "Very well. Gather whomever you deem fitting. I'll get me crew ready to set sail."

* * *

Blackheart slouched on the Infernal Throne of Mephisto's Hell as various demons and Hellspawn bent the knee and kissed the ring to declare their allegiance to his reign. Blackheart loathed this pageantry, but he knew it was necessary to make sure all of Hell knew who its new king was. To Blackheart's right, Ardyn stood vigilant with a perpetual coy smirk as he hummed a tune that Blackheart assumed was a royal march back in the Lucian Empire. To Blackheart's left was the severed head of Lilith, the "interim" ruler of Hell, skewered on a spike. After all, a clear message had to be sent regarding the current regime.

"And we are infinitely better served with you in control," the excrement covered demon said proudly. "After all, King Blackheart, it was you who possessed the wisdom and power to rival even the Ghost Rider himself and orchestrated-"

"Thank you, Malebolge, that's enough" Blackheart interrupted, not wanting a reminder of his past, even if it was in a flattering light. "I'm tired of these proceedings. Everybody out! You can all fellate me later."

The demons bowed and dispersed, obeying their sovereign's instructions.

"And somebody go reap Donald Trump's soul for me," Blackheart called out to the crowd as they exited. "The terms of his deal with my father were very specific, and if he thinks he can out 'Art of the Deal' me just because there was a regime change, he's got another fucking thing coming."

Ardyn placed a sympathetic hand on Blackheart's shoulder once they were the only two remaining in the throne room.

"You don't enjoy the job," Ardyn remarked. It was not a question.

"Of course not," Blackheart groaned. "I like _having_ power. I just don't like the work power requires. I swear, if it'd be a fun anarchy, I'd let this place devolve into chaos. But we all know a peaceful Hell is the only kind that benefits the forces of evil."

"Blessed are the peacemakers," Ardyn sighed wistfully.

" _Blessed_ isn't a thing to be praised here, as you well know," Blackheart sneered.

"Oh quite so," Ardyn nodded. "And yet here we are."

"Yeah... true enough," Blackheart said with a groan as he slid down into his throne. "What I need is a regent who knows how I think and can do my job for me, but has no mind of its own to turn against me or give anyone the impression that anyone other than me is in power."

"You and I have both seen enough of the cosmos to know that most anything is possible," Ardyn said with a sly smirk. "It matters not how strange or weird the request, there is much out there for us to find."

Blackheart perked up at that and rose from his throne. "Weird... Yes... _weird_ indeed!"

"I take it you have a solution in mind?" Ardyn asked.

"A destination at least," Blackheart said as he slipped on his trench coat. "Come on. We need to grab a few allies from the Eminence Palace before we go."

"And just where are we going?" Ardyn asked.

"The universe's biggest stockpile of dangerous and fun supernatural artifacts," Blackheart explained as he opened up a Corridor of Darkness. " _The Museum of the Weird_."

* * *

Hook spotted the planet growing on the horizon through his spyglass as the winds of the Etherium tussled his hair. As he put away the telescope, he caught the helm with his hook to steady the ship.

"Planet ho!" Hook called out loudly so that his associates would hear him.

Down on the deck of the ship, Maleficent, Hades, and Loki gave Hook a nod to affirm that they'd heard him before returning to their conversation. Doctor Doom and Grimhilde, on the other hand, either didn't hear him or pretended that they didn't. The two of them were preoccupied with some mechanical device that Hook couldn't identify and wasn't overly pleased with being constructed on his ship. Ursula, Fish, and Russell were leaning over the railing to observe the Etherium up ahead, eager to spot the promised planet. Jafar, meanwhile, placed a hand on Hook's lower back.

"When you told me you were to assemble allies for this excursion, I had thought you'd have assembled a couple of useful allies," Hook admitted. "Instead, we have the entire inner circle of the Overtakers along for the ride... and _then some_."

"Maleficent thought it would be better for us all to undergo this voyage," Jafar said. "After all, this world and Flint's marvelous device are essential to our plans."

"And what of the boy Maleficent insisted on bringing along?" Hook asked, referring to Silver, who was currently below deck feeling quite ill due to the motion of the Jolly Roger

"I've given the boy a potion to dispel his air sickness," Jafar said. "He should sleep until we make port."

"Excellent," Hook nodded. "If nothing else, it'll spare my deck from further soiling on this voyage."

"He is the spitting image of that boy Riku with a sharp tongue to match," Jafar continued. "If he wasn't also cruel and enraged by the very mention of Sora, I'd likely have not believed him to be a separate person."

"But he's not, is he?" Hook asked. "He's a replica... a fabrication created by Xemnas's stooges? He's not a real boy, just another puppet."

"Keep your voice down," Jafar warned. "Maleficent seems to be quite attached to this puppet. She wouldn't take your remarks well."

"And yet you were worried about _my_ attachments earlier," Hook said with a sneer.

"If he proves to be a hindrance, we can always eliminate him," Jafar promised.

"I'll have Mr. Starkey prepare the harpoons," Hook said, flashing Jafar a sly smile.

The two men looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter at the notion.

"You're as twisted as ever," Jafar remarked. "It's quite tempting."

Hook leaned back against Jafar and tilted his head back so that his lips were only inches away from Jafar's.

"Temptation is a specialty of mine, my viper," Hook said, allowing his lips to lightly brush against Jafar's.

Jafar grabbed ahold of Hook's waist and spun him around so that they were facing each other. Unable to resist the temptation, Jafar pressed his pelvis against Hook's and leaned in for a kiss. Their tongues intertwined in each other's mouths as the rest of the crew looked on at the show. Loki rolled his eyes at the public display of affection.

"How vulgar," Loki said as he turned back to Hades and Maleficent.

Maleficent smirked at that. "Oh come now, Loki, the only reason you loathe the public display of affection is because you loathe seeing others getting attention that you cannot steal."

Loki's expression darkened. "Is that a challenge? The God of Mischief has a wide repertoire of illusions that are ten times the spectacle of two men locking lips!"

"Yeah, sure, no one doubts ya, Lokes, but we all know that Doom detests PDA," Hades chimed in. "And, hey, you can't outdo _them_ without _him_."

Loki grumbled something unintelligible under his breath but seemed to let the matter drop.

"Can you explain to me why we're wasting time visiting a mining planet?" Loki asked. "I had thought the Empress Witch was our primary concern with the convergence still months away."

"We need not neglect either of our plans," Maleficent said dismissively with a wave of her hand. "Working towards one will surely advance the cause of the other. After all, the end goal is the same: the reign of the Overtakers."

"Besides, I've been hearin' some tasty rumors floatin' down the Styx lately," Hades said with a grin. "There's a payoff on this world that's gonna be big. I know it!"

"I suppose we shall see," Loki shrugged.

"It is done!" Doom declared as he and Grimhilde crossed over to where the trio was standing.

In Doom's hands, he held the bronze circular device that he and Grimhilde had spent the majority of the voyage working on.

"What is it?" Hades asked, regarding the device with confusion.

"An astrolabe," Grimhilde answered, a confident smirk cracked onto her queenly visage. "It is a device used for a variety of astronomical endeavors."

"However, most are far too limited in their scope," Doom interjected. "An astrolabe from Earth would be of little use to one on the Overtaken Kingdom... until now."

"With my expertise on the stars and the cosmos, and Victor's mathematical and mechanical knowledge, we've constructed an astrolabe that will work for us anywhere in the known universe," Grimhilde boasted.

"And what can it do for us?" Maleficent asked.

"Navigation, locating coordinates, determining distance between worlds, and more," Doom rattled off. "It should prove to be a companion that simplifies our excursions greatly."

"A pity you couldn't construct the device before our voyage," Loki said with a smirk.

"Bah! The calculations and measurements I was able to take proved invaluable in crafting this device," Doom replied. "Do not attempt to cheapen my accomplishment with your misguided attempt to use hindsight against me."

"Am I simply the sacrificial lamb for everyone's ire today?" Loki complained.

"Loki, you're a little bitch," Russell shouted from across the deck of the ship.

Loki flashed an obscene gesture at Russell as the vampire laughed at his little joke.

"He's gonna leave a horse head in your bed now," Fish warned with a slight smirk. "He's feisty like that."

"Mmm, sounds delectable, don't tease," Russell replied.

"It's strange sailing up here in the Etherium," Ursula remarked, paying little attention to Russell's shenanigans. "Being so far away from the sea or any water leaves me feeling out of my element... _literally_."

Fish placed a gentle hand on Ursula and began to caress her girlfriend's back.

"I'm sure there are oceans on Montressor," Fish assured her. "Water's the source of all life, after all."

Russell scoffed at that. "The _blood_ is the life. Bram Stoker might've been a superstitious fool, but he got that part right at least."

"This from a dead man," Ursula quipped.

"Dyin' is a right of passage on our team," Russell pointed out. "Pretty sure we've all kicked the bucket at least once."

"Death is cheap, and Hades is cheaper, HA!" Ursula declared.

"I heard that!" Hades shouted from across the deck.

"Glad you did!" Ursula replied with a chuckle.

"Anyway, all this talk about water seems to be pointed in a very specific direction," Fish said, steering the conversation back on track. "Are you missing Atlantica, dear?"

"I suppose I am," Ursula admitted. "It's always hard being so far away from home all the time, but it's even harder now that I have the trident and the crown. I've been the Queen of Atlantica for almost two months now, but I haven't had the chance to enjoy it."

"Then let's slip away for a few weeks," Fish suggested. "After we get back from Montressor, we'll enjoy some time under the sea."

"Sounds like fun," Ursula said with a grin before her expression darkened. "But I'm still concerned about those Inner Demon fellows. They're connected to something dangerous, I'd feel it in my bones... if I had any. HA!"

"You have no idea," a trio of voices chimed in.

The Overtakers on the ship all heard the sound of the three sisters' arrival and turned to face the Fates as they manifested on the ship's deck.

"The FATES!" Hades said as he flared up to red. "Ohoho, I owe you three some PAYBACK for that stunt ya pulled over Persephone!"

Doctor Doom's hands began to glow with green energy. "And I still have yet to claim the powers of fate for my own and show you the wrath of DOOM for withholding them!"

The Fates looked on at the furious Overtakers with disinterest. They were hardly the type to cower before threats, yet they seemed to possess a certainty that they were in no real danger that made Hades and Doom both feel uneasy.

"Ladies, I apologize," Loki said as he stepped in between the Fates and their opponents, fluffing out his cape to create a symbolic barrier between the Fates and Hades and Doom. "My associates are inelegant. What can we do for the lovely Norns?"

"We have...," Atropos began, "a very serious problem...."

* * *

Imshael and Red walked through the strange and twisted corridors of the Museum of the Weird, passing by several statues, tapestries, and strange displays connected to the supernatural. Imshael leaned over and glanced into a large terrarium that seemed to be housing a bush of plants that looked more like the writhing heads of a hydra than any ordinary flora.

"So typical of humans to keep something as rudimentary as Snake-Vine in the same place they've imprisoned a Great Old One," Imshael said with a sigh.

"The Wardens have never truly been a perceptive lot," Red agreed. "They're far too _dog_ matic for their own good... and I loathe all things involving the word _dog!_ "

"So true," Imshael said as he pulled himself away from the terrarium and proceeded down the hall. "Now come on, we need to find the pieces of the 'Living Room' to summon the Coffin Clock so that we can let our dear friend out to play."

"Speaking of dear friends, our master said he had a matter of great importance on Olympus to attend to," Red said. "What do you think he meant by that?"

"Who knows?" Imshael replied with a shrug. "He's always making strange choices, but he hasn't led us astray yet."

"As far as we know," Red said with a snarl.

"Shh! SHH! Do you hear that?" Imshael asked.

Red went silent and his ears perked up. "We have company!"

The pair of Old Ones quickly hid inside of a landscape portrait on the wall so that they could observe the approaching group without being seen. The group walking towards them was led by none other than Blackheart and Ardyn. With them were several other Overtakers: Demyx, Hans, Cruella De Vil, the Green Goblin, and NOS-4-A2.

"Welcome to the Museum of the Weird," Blackheart said dramatically as he ushered his group into the foyer. "Be forewarned that anything and everything in this place can and will kill you whether it's one of the boring Wardens or something fun that they tucked away here. We've got an hour at best before the Wardens discover that we're here, so let's not dilly-dally."

"Finally a chance to stretch my wings!" NOS-4-A2 says. "How lovely!"

"What exactly is this place?" Hans asked as he looked around.

"It's the headquarters of a group of lame hero types called the Wardens," Demyx answered. "They use it as a stockpile for all the dangerous magical artifacts they gather from across the universe. Xemnas used to send me on recon missions to this place all the time. It was lame."

"And what exactly are we looking for?" Cruella asked as she took a drag from her cigarette.

"I need some sort of golem that I can make rule Hell for me but not have a will of its own," Blackheart explained. "The Wardens have collected thousands of magical artifacts. There has to be something."

"So this is a complete shot in the dark to find what we need," the Goblin said with a sigh. "Why does that not give me any confidence in our mission."

"If you don't want to come along, you can go back to the Eminence Palace and help Pete wash the Gummi Ships," Ardyn offered.

"Let's not be hasty, now," the Goblin said. "Shot in the dark or no, it's still a worthy excursion."

"Perhaps they've collected another moonrock from Canis Lunis," NOS-4-A2 suggested as he licked his lips. "I'd know precisely what to use it for. The effect would be positively wicked!"

"Focus on my goals first and foremost, or I'll throw you to some of the killer plants," Blackheart threatened.

"Excuse me!" Imshael called out from his hiding spot in the portrait.

The Overtakers approached the painting with suspicion. Blackheart leaned in to get face to face with Imshael.

"I am... Michel the Portrait Spirit," Imshael lied. "I couldn't help but overhearing that you seek a golem to rule Hell in your stead."

"Eavesdropping is rude, Michel," Blackheart said. "I should torch your picture frame for such an act of disrespect!"

"Wait, wait!" Imshael said quickly. "I can help you! I know exactly where you can obtain what you need. You see, there are three pieces of enchanted furniture that make up what is called the 'Living Room.' An armchair, a loveseat, and a coffee table. Once assembled, they create a golem known as the 'House Guest,' who you can use for whatever dark purposes you desire."

"How convenient," Ardyn remarked.

"Furniture... you mean we're supposed to collect furniture?" Cruella asked. "What do we look like? Moving men?"

"Be that as it may, it is the easiest way to get what you want," Imshael replied with a smirk. "The choice is yours, of course, but I do recommend it."

Hans shrugged at that. "It's not as if we have any better leads. I say we try it out."

Blackheart nodded. "Alright, sounds like a plan. But, Michel, if you're wrong about this, I will show you firsthand what happened to some of the masterpieces in the Jeu de Paume art gallery."

Blackheart's hand became engulfed in flames to punctuate his meaning.

"Understood," Imshael replied.

Blackheart gestured for the Overtakers to move out, and so they did. Once the coast was clear, Imshael and Red emerged from the painting.

"Clever to use those fools to get the Coffin Clock for us," Red said with a grin. "But what happens when they learn that the Living Room doesn't summon any golems?"

"Easy choice," Imshael shrugged. "We _kill them._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Montressor is from Treasure Planet.
> 
> The Museum of the Weird and everything associated with it is from the comic Disney Kingdoms: Seekers of the Weird, a comic miniseries based on the unmade Museum of the Weird attraction at Walt Disney World.


	34. Fate-al Developments

"We have...," Atropos began, "a very serious problem...."

The Overtakers on the deck of the Jolly Roger regarded the Fates with suspicion. The three were the goddesses of destiny and controlled the course of fate itself, yet they seemed utterly shaken. And if fate itself was afraid of what was on the horizon, then what did that mean for those who sought to build a new destiny for themselves?

"Out with it then," Maleficent ordered as she approached the trio of crones. "What is this problem of which you speak?"

Lachesis removed the single shared eye from Atropos's socket and placed it into her own.

"The Tapestry of Fate has been unraveled!" Lachesis said, and, as she said it, the air around the entire ship seemed to grow cold and tense.

"What in my name are you talkin' about?" Hades asked in disbelief. "The Tapestry of Fate is the be all, end all of destiny. It can't just unravel... can it?"

Clotho snatched the eye away from Lachesis and took it for herself. "Thanks to you, it can and it did!"

" _Me?_ " Hades asked. "What'd I do?"

" _Dim the godly light, change the Fates' design,_ " Atropos chanted. "Ring any bells?"

"That's the Armageddon Key," Doom announced.

"WE KNOW!" the Fates and the other Overtakers shouted at him in unison.

"Fate is supposed to be absolute!" Lachesis declared. "That's why it's called FATE!"

"And fate guards against the horrible things that reigned _before_ fate came to be," Clotho added.

"The Great Old Ones!" Atropos hissed before stealing the eye from Clotho.

Maleficent, Hades, Ursula, Doom, Loki, Jafar, Grimhilde, and Russell's blood all ran cold at the mention of the Old Ones. They knew well to fear the beings that the Fates mentioned. Hook and Fish, however, were far less knowledgeable regarding magic and the forces of the universe. They simply looked over their allies with confusion.

"Ursula, you mentioned these Old Ones before," Fish said. "What are they? Some sort of demon?"

"You remember the Master?" Ursula asked. " _Him_ and entities like him."

"Bloody Hell," Hook cursed.

With that simple description, Hook and Fish instantly understood their allies' terror. Atropos held open her palm and allowed the shared eyeball to glow white and hover above the Fates' heads. The three sisters circled around the glowing orb as it began to depict an image that appeared to be some unnatural abstraction.

"Before there was fate, there was only chaos in the universe," Lachesis explained. "The Old Ones were creatures born of this chaos, born before life itself."

"Creatures of entropy, they exist beyond rules," Atropos continued. "They could be and do whatever they wanted back in the age of chaos. They existed without any limitations."

"When the universe as we know it came to be, some of them survived and have survived to this day," Clotho added. "But the universe doesn't make sense to them anymore, for they were creations of chaos, and the universe has a set order to it."

"Yet because their existence was so ill defined, that order caused the surviving Old Ones to take a more definite form in order to make sense in the new universe," Lachesis explained. "And they HATE it!"

"Yes, they were changed by that which they don't understand," Atropos reiterated. "And that made some of them hold contempt for the universe and others feel utter indifference to the permanence of anything that has taken shape."

"They destroy without a thought or care," Clotho remarked.

"And prey upon the stupidity of lesser mortal fools," Lachesis said with a pointed gesture at Doom.

Doom took a threatening step towards the Fates, but Loki held out his arm to halt Doom's progress.

"And now, because of the Armageddon Key, they're powerful enough to try to recreate that primordial chaos," Atropos explained. "And one of them took a big step in that direction by unraveling the tapestry."

"Which one?" Grimhilde asked.

"We... _don't_ know," Clotho admitted.

"Huh.... hearing them say that is nowhere near as satisfying as I thought it'd be," Hades mused. "What do you gals mean ya don't know?"

"The Old One who attacked us and destroyed the tapestry also stripped all of our knowledge of him and his plans from our minds," Clotho answered. "He didn't want us revealing his identity before he could do so himself."

"Can't say I don't sympathize with him on that," Hades huffed.

"So you three have come bearing absolutely nothing of any value but a cryptic warning?" Maleficent asked with a sneer. "I do not have the patience for my time being wasted."

"You ten are the new Olympians," Lachesis pointed out, "and we know of your plan to use the Convergence to rule the universe. No matter how we might feel about your actions, you Overtakers are the best chance of stopping the Great Old Ones before they can rise to power and recreate the age of chaos."

"You're the lesser of two evils," Atropos added. "Your victory will mean that the age of chaos is staved off and that we might be able to recreate the Tapestry of Fate. So, we've decided to join your Overtakers to help ensure that you emerge as the victors."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes. "And why should I trust you and accept you three into the fold?"

"We still have powers that could be of use to you," Clotho offered. "And we all stand to benefit from fate returning to its rightful place in the universe."

"It is more likely these old crones wish to keep their position as the goddesses of destiny once we conquer the universe," Doom argued. "Fate will be in our hands. We should not give such a boon away."

"You cannot comprehend the forces of fate!" Lachesis argued.

Maleficent held up a hand to beckon for silence before speaking. "I will take your proposition under consideration. However, you three will have to prove your dedication to our cause. Lend us your aid in our present voyage, and should your loyalty become apparent, I will allow you a place at our side."

"Thank you," the three Fates said in unison.

"You cannot possibly be considering this!" Doom growled.

"I can, and I am," Maleficent said to Doom before turning to Hook. "Let me know when we are ready to bring the ship into port. I shall rest until then."

* * *

As Maleficent entered the captain's cabin of the Jolly Roger and saw the Riku Replica sprawled out on the cot, her mind drifted back to a memory from long ago. She was in a different Jolly Roger belonging to a different Captain Hook and was accompanied by a different Riku. Of course, in that instance, she and Riku had just recovered the lifeless body of his friend Kairi, but seeing the boy sleeping in this cabin made Maleficent feel a touch nostalgic. Maleficent took a seat next to the cot and brushed a stray hair off of the Replica's forehead.

"Foolish boy," Maleficent muttered to herself.

She then placed a hand on the sleeping Riku Replica's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake.

"Wake up, Silver," Maleficent cooed. "We have arrived at our port of destination, and there is much to be done."

"Who... who's Silver?" the Replica said groggily as he slowly woke himself up.

"That was the name you chose for yourself," Maleficent reminded him.

"Oh... yeah...," he said as his hand absently drifted to his forehead. "Guess I'm not used to it."

Maleficent looked at him with interest. "Pardon my directness, but perhaps you are not used to that name because it is not _truly_ your name."

"Huh?" the Replica asked.

"Silver is the prize for second place," Maleficent explained. "It implies that you are second to the other Riku. Is that truly how you wish to be remembered?"

"No," the Replica said through clenched teeth.

"Then what is a name that will not make you feel as though you are second?" Maleficent asked.

The Replica thought for a moment and scowled. "Taking any other name feels like I'm moving out of the way for _him_. There's only one name I was made to have, and it's not right that he gets to have it!"

"Then claim it for your own!" Maleficent told him. "After all, the Ansem whom most of the worlds know and fear was not the original holder of the name. Say your true name, and make it so."

"My name is... _Riku_ ," he said with determination.

"And so you shall be," Maleficent said with a grin. "Now then, Riku, are you prepared for your first excursion with the Overtakers?"

"Let's hope these guys are more enduring than your last group," Riku said with a scoff.

Maleficent smirked at that. Of course he'd still have the real Riku's memories of her original team and how easily they fell to Sora. Back then, Riku was the only one of value to Maleficent. Now the situation was considerably different, yet Maleficent still felt a powerful attachment to this boy. He was her son, returned to her at last, and she was ecstatic at the second chance.

"Come, we shall join the others on terra firma," Maleficent said as she placed a hand against Riku's back and led him out of the cabin.

Maleficent and Riku descended the gangplank onto the docks where the other Overtakers were waiting.

"So he has awakened," Jafar remarked.

"Such a handsome young man," Ursula said as she slithered over to Riku and pinched his cheeks.

"Cut it out!" Riku said as he squirmed free of her grip. "And by the way, my name is just Riku now."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, how long did it take ya to come up with that one? You go through names quicker than the Romans. But fine, okay, yeah, just Riku. That's you. I know. I got it. I got the concept."

"So what's the plan?" Fish Mooney asked the group.

"I'd prefer to meet my estranged family with as few of you present as possible," Hook said.

"Agreed. This will already be a touch overwhelming for the Hawkins family," Jafar chimed in. "I suggest only you and I proceed to their residence and the others hang back."

"And what are the rest of us to do whilst you reconnect with your family?" Doom asked with a twinge of frustration in his voice.

"Fear not," Maleficent cooed as she gestured to the remaining Overtakers, "I have an outing in mind that will involve all of you."

"We know!" the Fates said in unison.

Maleficent's eyes flashed with anger at the interruption.

"We, uh, we don't do that here, girls," Hades whispered to the Fates.

"Ohhhh," the three replied in unison.

"Our apologies," Lachesis said.

"Please continue telling everyone about the black-market smuggling operation run by the sewer cyborgs that you believe might have weaponry and artifacts of use to the Overtakers," Clotho said.

The other two Fates nodded, not realizing (or perhaps feigning obliviousness) that they had just spoiled Maleficent's entire dramatic reveal of her intentions. Maleficent's glare was practically venomous, and the other Overtakers silently cringed at the situation.

"Come along then," Maleficent said dryly as she transformed into a green orb of light and began to fly away from the ship.

"Can we... uh... even follow her like that?" Riku asked.

"That you even had to ask is how we can tell that you are fresh blood," Loki said with a scoff.

"We already know where she's going," Atropos announced.

Hades massaged his temples. "Oy, fine, then lead the way, ladies."

* * *

The Overtakers made their way through the labyrinthine sewer system running beneath Montressor's surface. The rickety catwalks loomed over a disgusting sludge of mine runoff, sewage, and groundwater. Grimhilde and Fish could not mask their disdain for the unpleasant odor and crinkled their noses in disgust at the scent.

"And here I thought the Narrows smelled like shit," Fish complained.

"Why must we debase ourselves so?" Grimhilde asked. "Surely there is nothing of value to be found in a place as lowly as this."

"Well," Clotho began, "there's-"

But Hades quickly placed his hand over her mouth to silence her. Maleficent was already looking irritable at the Fates' earlier outburst, and Hades knew he was going to have to play damage control in order to avoid a fiery ending to the day.

"Are you both of such weak constitution that you would allow an odor to prevent you from claiming power?" Maleficent asked. "I had thought my Overtakers were of stronger mettle than that."

"I quite agree," Doom said. "That you both are so weak as to be bothered by olfactory irritation is embarrassing enough. That you admit it so freely is even more contemptable."

"Your mask has an air filtration system," Loki said flatly. "You cannot smell any of what the rest of us are enduring."

"Am I to be chided for coming prepared?" Doom countered, though he was obviously flustered by the retort.

"Try bein' a vampire with my advanced sense of smell," Russell chimed in. "I can smell the difference between each individual person's turds floatin' down there. I can also identify exactly what type of food it was prior to bein' digested. That one right there that's kind of shaped like Ursula came from a big sweaty-"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Fish shouted, covering her ears and fighting back her gag reflex.

"Are they always like this?" Riku asked Ursula.

"You learn to love them," Ursula replied with a smirk.

The door to the next chamber was just up ahead, and standing guard just outside of it was a bulky and sludge covered robot that regarded the Overtakers with suspicion.

"Password?" the robot asked.

The orb atop Maleficent's staff began to glow green, and it illuminated her smirking visage. "We do not require a password to enter this-"

"Norvegicus," the three fates said in unison, cutting Maleficent off short.

"Correct," the guard said as he stepped aside and opened the door for the party.

"We know everything!" Clotho boasted when Maleficent turned around to glare at the Fates.

"If you want me to kill them, I will," Riku offered.

Maleficent just shook her head and beckoned for the Overtakers to follow her through the doorway. On the other side was a large antechamber that smelled considerably better despite the mildew covered walls. Several vendor booths were set up all around the antechamber selling various weapons and other contraband. As the Overtakers proceeded into the market, a heavyset female cyborg lumbered over to the group. She wore a crown of stolen jewelry and a black corset with bioluminescent cockroaches stuck to it like flies on fly-paper. She had what appeared to be a mechanical gas mask over the lower half of her face and insect-like mechanical legs that didn't match.

"She could be your twin," Loki whispered to Ursula.

Ursula, however, was not amused and whispered back, "I'll eat you if you don't watch it."

"Greetings. I am Blattodea, queen of the sewer cyborgs," she said with a heavily muffled voice. "I haven't seen you folks around these parts before. What is your business here?"

Maleficent paused for a moment and turned around to glare at Hades and the Fates.

"Ah, right, ladies, let's go look at something... over there!" Hades said as he ushered the three sisters away from Maleficent and Blattodea so that they couldn't interrupt.

"We are here to patronize your market," Maleficent answered once the Fates were out of earshot. "I am certain our reputation proceeds us. We are the Overtakers."

Blattodea's eyes shifted from Maleficent to Doom to Loki to Riku. She seemed to be trying to match the assemblage gathered before her with the tales she'd heard from the universal gossip.

"Very well," Blattodea said after a moment. "I hope our wares prove satisfactory."

"Fan out," Maleficent ordered the Overtakers. "Scour the wares for anything of use."

The Overtakers dispersed and began to walk up and down the various aisles. Most of the contraband items on sale were stolen light ship parts and guns, but a few of the booths had more interesting products on display. Such was the case with the booth that Russell, Fish, and Ursula found themselves in.

"Art? Paintings?" Ursula asked as she glanced over the wares. "What kind of criminal sells paintings?"

"They're forgeries," Russell said as he leaned in close to examine a still life. "Convincing forgeries, but there's just a hint of a difference in the shade of red. It's just a touch too pink."

"How do you know?" Ursula asked.

"Back when I was the vampire king of Mississippi, my public face was being an antiques dealer," Russell explained. "Made pretty good money too. I consulted with several prominent museums. Helped 'em figure out what was real and what was just painted shit. Vampire sight and having witnessed history firsthand gave me an edge over the forgers."

"Actually, I tried to expand into art crimes once," Fish chimed in. "Hit a snag when the FBI's White Collar crimes division caught whiff of it. Falcone ordered me to unload all the merchandise I could. Still wish I could've kept that fake of the Mona Lisa."

"Funny story about the Mona Lisa," Russell said. "That's Leonardo himself dressed in drag in the painting. He liked wearing dresses and wigs in private. They made him feel pretty."

"Well we all can understand _that_ ," Ursula said with a shrug.

"I have to wonder why he didn't do his makeup too," Fish remarked. "He'd have looked a lot less like a homely little peasant girl. Could've looked fierce and fabulous with some nice lipstick, eyeliner, and contouring."

Russell frowned. "Aren't either of you gonna ask how the fuck I knew that about him?"

"No, because the answer is that you had sex with him, and you're gonna use that as an excuse to be graphic," Fish answered with a roll of her eyes.

"You're predictable, sweet cheeks," Ursula agreed.

Russell grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and turned back to further examine the forgeries. Meanwhile, Riku was over in the weapons section with his mind drifting to another forgery of a different sort.

"Do you fancy any of these blades?" Maleficent asked as she placed a hand on Riku's shoulder.

The rack in front of them had numerous ornate swords that seemed to come from all over the universe. A particularly interesting one that caught Riku's eye appeared to be made of polished bone. Screaming faces would appear in intervals in the reflection on the blade.

"No... I mean, yes, they're all really nice, but I don't need a new one," Riku answered. "I was just thinking about the sword that you gave... the other guy."

Riku held out his hand and summoned his replica of the Soul Eater sword. Red and black and shaped like a demon's wing, the Soul Eater was unmistakable, and the topaz eye embedded in its hilt added a supernatural quality to it that made the blade feel almost alive.

"This isn't the real Soul Eater," Riku said. "It was a forgery that Vexen made to complete his perfect replica... A phony weapon for a phony Riku. But you gave the other guy the original, right? That's what I remember, anyway."

Maleficent nodded. "Yes. It was a blade forged by the darkness and drew power from the darkness in the heart of its wielder. It was a fitting weapon to bestow upon him."

"He uses a Keyblade now, the ingrate," Riku mused. "I wonder what he did with the real Soul Eater. If he's not gonna use it, it should at least go to someone who would."

Maleficent tapped her chin in contemplation. "Perhaps that blade is accessible after all. I showed the other boy how to call the blade to his hands, and the blade answered to him. Yet if he is lost and you remain, the blade's rightful master is you."

"Is there a way I can call on it?" Riku asked.

"There may very well be," Maleficent nodded. "But the process will not be as simple as merely concentrating."

While Maleficent and Riku discussed matters further, Doom and Grimhilde were perusing equipment and star charts stolen from some astronomer who the two-headed salesman said was always an easy mark. Loki lagged behind them, thoroughly uninterested in what his boyfriend and friend were talking about.

"Behold! We have the devil's luck!" Grimhilde declared as she picked up a heavily marked up notebook. "These notes are clearly observations regarding the Convergence! We can apply them to our astrolabe to-"

"Measure and track the Convergence in real time, yes, brilliant!" Doom interrupted as he peered over her shoulders. "We could have produced such calculations ourselves with greater accuracy, of course, but-"

"But it makes our task simpler to have it already done, and I shan't look a gift horse in the mouth," Grimhilde finished with a grin.

"There is an amusing tale in my past regarding gift horses," Loki interjected. "Perhaps you two would care to hear of it?"

"Is it the story of your giving birth to a six-legged horse?" Grimhilde asked with a frown.

“Of course not. Don’t be absurd," Loki answered before adding, "Sleipnir has _eight_ legs.”

"Another time," Doom said curtly before turning back to Grimhilde. "Look here, the notes have a detailed account of the obstacles amongst the Etherium between this planet and the End of the World."

"Ah, but there may have been cosmic shifts since these accounts were recorded," Grimhilde reminded Doom. "We should not take them as absolute until we can verify them with certainty."

"A reasonable caution, but one I hardly think warrants extensive consideration," Doom replied.

"It's as if I'm not even here," Loki huffed angrily as he crossed his arms and stormed over to another booth.

The salesman was short and fishlike, and his booth appeared to be completely devoid of merchandise. Loki couldn't help but be intrigued by that.

"Alright, you have my attention, I invite you to keep it," Loki said. "What exactly is it that you have to offer?"

"I represent the Silver Fish smuggling operation," the salesman answered. "My employer wishes to advertise our company's services to all sectors."

"Hmph, is that all?" Loki said with a frown. "Forgive me, I had thought you might have had something of greater value to offer."

Loki began to walk away, but the salesman called out after him, "WAIT!"

Loki turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I see by your clothes that you're a man of means and power," the salesman said. "There is something you might be interested in. The boss was going to auction it off to the highest bidder, but, for a fee, I can broker you a meeting with him where you could buy it ahead of time."

"Hmm, you must have something of considerable value to make such an offer," Loki said, amused by the salesman's pitch. "Tell me, what is this mysterious item."

"A weapon of mass destruction," the salesman answered, "rare in nature to become small enough to be portable like we got it. Raw cosmic power and more! We got ahold of a real _Neutron Star_."

Loki flashed the salesman a toothy grin and tossed him a bag of gold coins from his satchel.

"Broker the meeting," Loki commanded. "You have successfully kept the attention of the God of Mischief!"

* * *

"This ghastly place reminds me of Rumplestiltskin's castle," Cruella remarked as she looked over the various magical oddities adorning the Museum of the Weird. "Cluttered and filled to the brim with new and excruciating ways to die."

"Sounds kinky," Blackheart remarked as he gobbled up one of the mushroom people that served as the Museum's janitors.

"Perhaps for immortal demons, but I have absolutely no intentions of dying, darling," Cruella said.

Blackheart smirked devilishly. "Cruella, be reasonable, you're probably a few days away from liver failure anyway."

"Oh yes, how hilarious, you're truly amusing," Cruella said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "Does anyone actually laugh at your attempts at humor? I mean, _really?_ You're not very clever."

Blackheart's expression darkened at that. "You may carry yourself like you're more fun than her, but you're just as much of a wet blanket as your girlfriend. The only difference? She can hold her own in a fight. But you? I could snap your neck, rip out your ribcage to wear as a hat, and suck the distilled liquor from your arteries easily, and there'd be nothing you could do to stop me."

Cruella grinned. "Touched a nerve there did I? Well I might not be able to kill you, but you don't need all your body parts in tact to live, now do you, darling? How would you like two of my dogs to grab ahold of that sad little thing between your legs and have a tug of war with it until it rips right in half?"

Cruella and Blackheart stared intensely at one another for a second until they both broke and burst out laughing.

"Now _there's_ the spark I was missing," Blackheart said with a grin. "You had me worried that I was gonna have to tie you to a lightning rod to get you back on track."

"The feeling is quite mutual," Cruella said as she lit a cigarette. "You paint a lovely portrait, though, darling. I'd love to see your artistry at work sometime," she then let out a sigh. "Oh if only I had it within my power to join in...."

"It's terrible what that pesky author did to you," Blackheart said, his tone suddenly far more sympathetic. "Stripping you of your ability to kill... I couldn't go on like that. You're more resilient than I am."

"Well of course I am, darling, but we needn't state the obvious," Cruella said with a wink.

"Blackheart, Cruella, come along!" Ardyn beckoned from a doorway a little ways down the hall.

Cruella and Blackheart quickened their pace and caught up with Ardyn, Hans, Demyx, the Goblin, and NOS-4-A2 in a large library area of the museum.

"Well they do say reading is fundamental," Cruella quipped.

"You should have been in here a moment ago," NOS-4-A2 said with a sneer. "The books flew off the shelf and assaulted us... mostly Hans and Demyx."

"Those things really hurt," Hans said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I managed to quiet them with a well placed spell," Ardyn explained. "They should give us no further trouble. But look there!"

Ardyn gestured to a large armchair with a face embroidered on it.

"That's the first piece of the Living Room," Blackheart said with a grin.

"A dreadfully unfashionable living room by my measure," Cruella said with a sneer.

"Magical furniture is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of," the Goblin scoffed, "and I fly around wearing a Halloween costume."

"A lot of magical stuff is arbitrary and stupid," Demyx said with a scoff. "Xemnas used to send me after dumb magical stuff all the time. Ugh, it was such a pain. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with _that_ guy any more."

"You called?" a deep voice echoed throughout the room.

A strangely familiar noise put all the Overtakers on high alert as Dusk Nobodies descended from the rafters and surrounded the villains. Two Corridors of Darkness manifested outside of the ring of Nobodies and from them stepped Xemnas and Saïx. Demyx groaned loudly.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Demyx said, his tone betraying utter exasperation. "Why didn't I see this coming?"

Xemnas's gaze drifted over to Demyx, and he grinned. "A little lost nothing who fled from where he truly belongs. I see your Overtakers are still taking in strays."

Hans gritted his teeth and pointed his sword at Xemnas. "Big talk from a man whose only ally is a lunatic we bested before."

"If I had a heart to feel, I suppose I might have been offended by your words," Saïx said stoically.

"Normally I find your Organization fashion appalling," Cruella said as she looked over Xemnas's current black and white patterned ensemble, "but this is actually a good look on you, darling. Black and white go together so smashingly, wouldn't you agree?"

"Cruella, stop complimenting our enemy's fashion choices," Blackheart scolded before turning back to Xemnas and Saïx. "What do you two has-beens want?"

"Hmph, wanting is not but a delusion of the heart," Xemnas answered. "As I do not possess a heart, I cannot feel _want_. Such desires are beyond even me. But, of course, you wouldn't understand such emptiness inside of you for the nature of hearts are-"

"Will you just shut up already?" Demyx interrupted. "I had to listen to you for years, and now I don't, so please stop."

Xemnas simply chuckled and turned his attention back to Blackheart. "As it stands, I must commend you for your ability to motivate Demyx. I suppose even the most discardable trash can be made into another man's treasure with the proper incentive."

"He's NOT trash!" Hans shouted. "He's-"

But Demyx simply held up his hand to silence Hans. His typical casual demeanor seemed to have completely vanished, and now there was nothing but a cold intensity in his eyes.

"You never _did_ realize what you had," Demyx said in a flat tone of voice that seemed to have dropped an octave. "You were always so caught up in your bigger picture that you never took the time to understand your underlings. For instance the fact that Marluxia and Larxene were able to stage a coup under your nose, or how Xigbar was planning to sell everyone upstream to finally get a Keyblade, or maybe how your own 'loyal' lieutenant was collaborating with Axel behind your back until Axel went soft on him."

Xemnas's eyes narrowed as he glared at Saïx, who was looking very uncomfortable.

"Is that really our Demyx?" Blackheart whispered to Ardyn.

"I've seen no indication that any swap took place," Ardyn whispered back.

"No you never noticed any of that," Demyx continued, "but _I_ did. Because that's what _you_ never noticed about _me_. You had flowers trying to grow the tallest, fires trying to burn the brightest, and thunder trying to clap the loudest. But you never considered that at the end of the day, _water_ was taking whatever form was necessary to keep flowing and enduring."

In a splash of water magic, Demyx's sitar appeared in his hand, and he fired a devilish grin at Xemnas and Saïx. The two Nobodies regarded Demyx with disdain, but even they couldn't mask how thoroughly Demyx's words had taken them off guard.

"Now then," Demyx began. " _Let's dance!_ "

* * *

The rain pouring down caused Hook and Jafar to huddle close together under the red and black umbrella that Jafar summoned. The two Overtakers sloshed down the muddy path towards the Benbow Inn, struggling to keep both of themselves dry. This proved less than successful due to Jafar's tendency to hog the umbrella's coverage, and so Hook was thoroughly soaked by the time they reached the front door of the establishment.

"This is it," Hook remarked as he knocked the door and attempted to shake some of the water from his hair.

"Let us hope they are amenable to our presence," Jafar said with a sneer.

The door to the inn crept open, and young man who looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old was standing in the door frame.

"Sorry, but we're closed," the young man said.

Before the young man could shut the door on them, Hook caught the door with his hook.

"Wait a moment, lad," Hook said. "We're not here for the food services. We just want to talk."

The young man seemed to actually look at Hook closely for the first time, and his eyes widened a bit. Obviously he recognized Hook somehow, though neither Hook nor Jafar knew how or why.

"Who are you?" the young man asked suspiciously.

"Killian Jones or Hook to my friends," he answered. "This is Jafar. He's my... uh... well... my friend?"

"I suppose that's _a_ word for us," Jafar quipped.

"And what's your name? Hawkins I presume?" Hook asked.

"Jim," the young man answered. "Jim Hawkins."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blattodea is an OC of my own making based on a throwaway line of Silver's in Treasure Planet.
> 
> Jim Hawkins is from Treasure Planet.


	35. Haunting Coincidence

It all started when Watts found a message written in the steam on his bathroom mirror that said, "I'm coming for you, Sir Shitty Stache." At least, that's what Watts thought it said, because whoever left the message had appalling handwriting. Next came Amora's unseemly case of acne that only got worse when she tried to use magic to cure it, and Amora could swear she heard a batty old cackle every time it happened. Then Sarah started to feel a clammy phantom hand groping her breasts at random times of the day, and though this was obviously not a good thing, Sarah really just wanted to know who was doing it so that she could lick their face afterwards, and no one could really argue. The final straw came when Frollo's hat went missing, because the only thing worse than dealing with strange inconveniences was having to listen to Frollo complaining about strange inconveniences. So that was why Steve Newlin and Watts had reached out to Madame Leota for her services.

"We really appreciate ya doin' this for us," Steve said. "We've never had problems like this before."

"Ordering these restless spirits to cease their mischief shall prove but a trifle for my powers," Leota said confidently. "The secrets of the spirit world are mine to divine."

Watts finished lighting the numerous candles that Leota had requested for this séance and walked over to the table.

"Do we have everything necessary to begin?" Watts asked.

"I often find musical instruments useful for communing with the departed," Leota said.

"Do we look like the sorts to keep spare instruments just lying about?" Watts asked as he rolled his eyes.

"Here," Steve said as he took out his phone and pulled up his music library. "This is the best I can do."

Leota regarded the phone with disgust before saying, "It shall have to do."

Steve and Watts had a seat at the table, and Leota instructed them to join hands, quiet their minds, and close their eyes. Though Watts was skeptical about this particular ritual, he and Steve complied without complaint. Leota took a deep breath and began to hover above the table.

"Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween, awaken the spirits with your tambourine," Leota beckoned.

A tambourine like ringtone sounded off from Steve's phone, causing Watts to jump slightly in surprise. A chill entered the room shortly after, summoned by the spell.

"There is a presence," Leota said before returning to her chanting. "Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond, let there be music from regions beyond!"

A rock song immediately began to play on Steve's phone. " _Drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs, I don't need it, but I'll sell what you got. Take the cash, and I'll keep it. Eight legs to the wall, hit the gas, kill them all, and we crawl, and we crawl, and we crawl...._ "

Leota and Watts had judgmental looks of utter confusion as they looked at the phone and then back up at Steve. Steve just shrugged and smiled awkwardly as he turned off the music. Leota shook her head and regained composure.

"Rap on a table, it's time to respond," Leota continued. "Send us a message from somewhere beyond."

Leota's face scrunched up with concern, and this did not go unnoticed by Steve.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"The message from the one wearing the bowler hat is filled with profanity that I dare not repeat," Leota replied.

"Bowler hat?" Watts asked as he put together exactly who would have left him a message calling him Sir Shitty Stache. "Oh no. Don't tell me, it's-"

"The spirits say they were banished to the Netherworld by the Overtakers some time ago," Leota reported.

Watts and Steve shared a look and sighed.

"The Sorcerer's Society," they said in unison.

"Spirits! We command you!" Leota shouted. "Leave this castle! Take your haunts elsewhere and leave the Overtakers alone!"

Leota paused for a minute, and her face contorted with frustration.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"Hmph!" Leota sneered. "The one wearing the gauntlet says, 'You're not the boss of me, and I do whatever I want.' He then proceeded to imply that the one he called Mysterio was a more stylish 'fish bowl headed villain,' whatever that is supposed to mean."

"Surely your powers over the dead don't rely on them being reasonable, as I'm...," Watts stopped short when he felt someone curling the edge of his mustache. "Stop that!"

"What the doc is tryin' to ask, I think," Steve interjected, "is if you have a stronger way to banish the Sorcerer's Society from the castle."

"My commands are imbued with powerful witchery," Leota said. "To ordinary spirits, my word is law. Somehow, through sorcery or sheer unrivaled stubbornness, these souls are able to resist my orders."

"So that's a no," Watts said with a groan. "Wonderful. So, what in the world are we supposed to do about these ethereal pests?"

Steve shrugged. "As much as I hate to bother him on a mission, we _do_ have the Lord of the Dead on speed dial...."

* * *

Jim Hawkins stared at Hook and Jafar in a way that made them both feel uncomfortable. Jafar looked off to the side and strummed his fingers against the head of his staff to avoid Jim's discerning glare.

"Are you two with the Others?" Jim asked. "Because I haven't found him yet."

"The Others?" Hook asked as he furrowed his brow. "I don't know what the bloody Hell you're talking about. I came here to meet you."

"Why?" Jim asked suspiciously.

"Well I suppose there's no sense evading the question further," Hook said as he scratched behind his ear. "I'm here for a bit of a family reunion. I'm your uncle. May we come in so we can talk?"

Jim poured three cups of coffee and distributed them to Jafar and Hook before taking a seat across the table from them with his own cup.

"So... you're my dad's brother, right?" Jim asked. "You look a lot like him."

"Not... exactly," Hook admitted as he took a sip of his coffee. "Matters are a bit more complicated than that. My brother, or half-brother I suppose, was Benbow Hawkins."

Jim regarded Hook with suspicion. "No way. Benbow Hawkins? The guy who started the Inn? He was like my great-great-grandfather."

"Aye, I'm older than I look," Hook admitted. "I spent a great deal of time on a world where time doesn't pass."

"Neverland?" Jim asked, his eyes widening.

"Ah, so you've heard of it," Hook remarked.

"Yeah... I've heard of it," Jim said as his hand slowly drifted behind his back, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Hook.

"Don't draw a pistol on a man you're not prepared to shoot," Hook warned.

"Particularly not against _us_ if you wish to remain healthy," Jafar added as the eyes of his snake-staff began to glow a menacing shade of red.

"So you _are_ with the Others," Jim said.

"I already told you I don't know any bloody Others," Hook said with a roll of his eyes. "Who are they?"

"A long lost relative just so happens to show up from the same place the people who took my mother came from? Is that supposed to be a coincidence?" Jim asked.

Hook and Jafar exchanged confused looks.

"I thought Pan was the only threat on the island," Jafar said.

"Aye, he was," Hook answered. "Emma rescued the Lost Boys, and the mermaids certainly wouldn't have had much use for organizing."

Jafar sneered. "The boy must mean the _other_ Neverland then, the one with the foppish and foolish counterpart of you."

"The one with the perm who feared the toll of a clock?" Hook asked.

"Indeed," Jafar nodded.

"Hey, I'm still here!" Jim called out.

"Apologies lad," Hook said. "As I said, I know nothing of your mother or the people who took her, but I _can_ prove that you and I share blood."

Hook reached into his satchel and produced the golden sphere that he and Jafar had recovered from the End of the World.

"That's... the map to Treasure Planet," Jim said. "I thought it got destroyed when the planet exploded."

"The map and all of Flint's technology was designed by my mother, your... number of greats grandmother," Hook explained. "It's tied to her blood, and only those who share her blood can open the map."

"What?" Jim asked, looking between Hook and the map.

"Haven't you ever wondered why only you could open the bloody thing?" Hook asked.

Hook tapped the buttons on the outside and nestled the map in the crook of his hook in order to spin the rim open. Immediately light began to pour out of the orb, and a map of the galaxy began to take up the entire room. Jim studied it and knew right away that this was the very same map that had led him to Treasure Planet years ago. As Hook closed the map, the green light vanished along with it.

"Satisfied?" Hook asked.

"This is crazy," Jim muttered to himself. "I don't even know where to begin...."

"The universe is greater and stranger than you know, lad," Hook said as he turned back to Jim. "I've only just begun piecing it all together myself, and I've been alive for well over a hundred years. But that's hardly pertinent. You said your mother was taken by these Others? What happened?"

"This... thing came into the inn the other night," Jim answered. "I thought he was just a guy in a black cloak, but he moved more like a shadow. He did something to my mom... put her in some kind of trance. He told me if I wanted to see her alive again, I had to get something for him and bring it to him on Neverland."

"What did he want?" Jafar asked.

"Some chest that a friend of mine has," Jim said. "I don't know what's in it. But the shadow guy, the leader of the Others... Lord Ombra was his name... he couldn't find my friend Silver on his own. He needed me to track him down."

"Well, have you? Found this Silver fellow, I mean?" Hook asked.

Jim simply shook his head. "I haven't seen him in years. I don't even know where to start looking."

Hook's mind drifted back years ago to Baelfire, Milah's son, another young man who'd lost his mother and was facing the horror of Neverland. Hook gave up his last link to Milah for the sake of self-preservation and vengeance, and he lost Baelfire forever. He knew he had to help this one escape a similar fate.

"Allow me to offer my services in rescuing her," Hook said. "I have several resourceful allies who I'm certain could help both in locating Silver and defeating this Ombra fellow."

"You'd do that for me?" Jim asked in disbelief.

"Aye mate, these Others have messed with my family," Hook said with a nod. "It's only fitting I show them how grave a mistake that was."

Jafar placed a hand on Hook's shoulder and leaned in close to say, "A word, in private."

Hook nodded, and the two stepped outside the Benbow Inn onto the covered deck to avoid the rain. Jafar's staff flashed with magic and a red shimmer coated the inn before completely vanishing.

"There, that should keep the boy from eavesdropping," Jafar hissed.

Hook cocked an eyebrow at the gesture. "And what would he be eavesdropping on?"

"Have you so quickly forgotten our conversation before we set sail?" Jafar asked. "You've known the boy for twenty minutes, and already you're offering the Overtakers' resources to rescue a woman you don't even know."

"And if we save his mother, we'll have gained Jim's trust, which will ensure we can monopolize control of my mother's technology," Hook replied. "Or did _you_ so quickly forget the entire reason we've come all this way?"

"Oh you paint such a deceptive picture," Jafar hissed as he threw his arms up, "but this is an act of charity and you know it well! This is precisely where you started to go wrong with Emma!"

"Careful mate," Hook warned through gritted teeth. "I never asked for you to serve as my vizier, and I'm not some bumbling Sultan who needs you to control his life."

"Do you not recall how the Swan girl put you under her spell when you agreed to help her retrieve a missing family member from Neverland?" Jafar asked. "Hmm? Does that ring any bells for you or do I have to curse you to have a ringing in your ear to make my point?"

"I know what I'm doing!" Hook insisted. "I made you a promise that I would not change who I am for the sake of my family, and, unlike you, I honor my word. So have a little faith in me or at least do me the favor of keeping your mouth shut."

Jafar and Hook locked eyes and just scowled at each other for a moment. Neither of them were eager to break eye-contact or risk the gesture being taken as relenting that the other had a point. Both of their concentrations were broken by Jim opening the door and stepping outside.

"Is everything okay?" Jim asked.

"Aye lad, everything is fine," Hook said as he turned away from Jafar. "Grab your coat and any provisions you require. I'll escort you to my ship and introduce you to the ones who can help save your mother."

Jafar scoffed but remained otherwise silent.

Jim nodded and turned to go back inside before stopping short to say, "Thank you."

"Thank me when your mother is safely back home," Hook said, careful to avoid looking at Jafar (whom Hook was certain was scowling at him).

* * *

On the docks by the Jolly Roger, Maleficent, Loki, Grimhilde, Ursula, Hades, Doom, Russell, Fish, Riku, and the Fates gathered with the various supplies they'd purchased from the sewer cyborg's market. Maleficent used her magic to create a tented roof over the docks to ensure that none of the Overtakers (or their outfits) were soiled by the rain. All eyes were on Loki as he finished explaining the meeting he'd just brokered.

"Why on Earth would we need a neutron star?" Maleficent asked as she raised her eyebrow suspiciously.

"Perhaps it would be of use on a world other than _Earth_ ," Loki said with a smug grin.

"She was using a figure of speech, and you well know it," Grimhilde chimed in as she fired a poisonous glare at Loki.

"Then perhaps she has a need to choose her words with greater precision," Loki replied, the smirk never fading from his countenance.

"I have no interest in playing word games," Maleficent said with a sneer. "We came to this world to further our agenda. Our excursion to the sewer market was intended to seek items of use to those ends. Now you intend to steer us further off course to the Lagoon Nebula and flit away valuable gold on a prize that may prove more of a liability than an advantage."

"You are always so concerned with the immediate, Maleficent," Loki said as he rolled his eyes. "You would toss aside a powerful weapon simply because it was not the particular item you were searching for. That is why I always best you at the game of chess."

"I fail to see what your fixation with this neutron star has to do with your erratic chess strategies," Maleficent said. "At any rate, I am the leader of this faction, and it is my command that we do _not_ pursue this avenue!"

"But Maleficent," Lachesis chimed in. "The meeting will be revealed to be useful once-"

"SILENCE!" Maleficent roared as thunder clapped around her. "You three crones shall learn to speak only when spoken to, or I shall muzzle you as Oberon did to the Banshee!"

No one dared to speak another word or risk inciting Maleficent's wrath further. She glanced over the rest of her allies, and everything was absolutely silent... until the sound of a phone ringing broke the silence. Maleficent slowly turned to glare at the source of the noise, and Hades fumbled to retrieve it from the pocket of his chiton. When he saw whose face and name popped up on the screen, Hades answered it.

"NOT a good time, Stevie," Hades growled into the phone.

"Be nice to him!" Russell snapped.

"Sorry to bother you," Steve Newlin said on the other end, "but there's a real problem back in the Eminence Palace."

"What is wrong with my castle?" Maleficent said, her tone dangerously level.

Hades quickly put Steve on speaker. "Talk, babe, _now_. What's the buzz?"

"It's the Sorcerer's Society," Steve answered. "They somehow found a way to haunt the castle from the Netherworld. So far, they've just been doing malicious pranks, but they've been escalating. Leota tried to banish them, but they're able to resist her magic. That's why I'm callin'. Hades could come make short work of them, right?"

"Wrong," Hades answered. "I'm the Lord of the _Under_ world, not the _Nether_ world. Two very different afterlives there, babe. There's cosmic red tape that keeps me from having power over any souls that are outside of my jurisdiction."

"In retrospect, banishing them to a realm we didn't control wasn't our smartest move," Ursula admitted.

"But it _was_ our best option to relieve Maleficent of her unholy matrimony," Loki pointed out. "Let us not be critical of an effective solution to an earlier problem simply because it did not solve all future dilemmas."

"Look, as long as they're in the Netherworld, we can't touch 'em without going to the Netherworld ourselves or yankin' 'em out of the Netherworld," Hades explained. "And, hey, both of those things have a lot of risks, and Mozie's probably countin' on us doing one or the other. That's probably the whole reason he started hauntin' our castle to begin with. Force our hand and all that booga-booga."

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Maleficent asked angrily. "I will not have those fools inside my castle when I return!"

"Didn't say there was _nothing_ to do, but we're gonna need a more roundabout way of gettin' ahold of 'em," Hades said as he scratched his chin. "Hmm... y'know, I actually might know a guy who can help. He's got a way with the dead that's not tied to any specific pantheon. Our kinda guy too. He'd probably fit right in."

"And you're just bringing him up now?" Fish asked.

"Hey, if I recruited every villain I've ever met, we'd have to divide the cosmos up so small that none of us would have room to stretch out," Hades said with a sigh.

"No matter," Maleficent said with a wave of her hand. "If he can resolve our problem, then go, seek him out immediately and welcome him into our ranks if he so desires a place among them."

"Ursie, ya still got the contract for the Sorcerer's Society?" Hades asked.

Ursula scoffed. "I'm insulted that you even have to ask."

"Take Russell and Fish along with you in the event you encounter any difficulties," Maleficent instructed. "The rest of us shall remain here and continue to work towards our plan."

Russell gave a quick bow. "Happy to be of service!"

"Indeed so," Fish agreed.

"You sure you don't want me to take the, uh, you-know-whos?" Hades asked Maleficent, nodding his head over towards the Fates.

Maleficent shook her head. "No. They must prove themselves to me, as I said before."

As Hades, Ursula, Russell, and Fish vanished into a Corridor of Darkness, three figures approached the docks from out of the gloom. Maleficent tightened the grip on her staff before realizing that it was Hook and Jafar being accompanied by a boy she'd never seen before.

"Oh wonderful! They've adopted!" Loki quipped. "Victor, darling, when are _we_ going to hear the pitter-patter of little feet around the castle?"

"Once we turn Odin and Thor into field mice and set the cats upon them, I assure you there will _certainly_ be the pitter-patter of little feet in the castle," Doom answered.

Loki's jaw dropped. " _You_ just twisted _my_ words! ... Oh Victor, I have never found you more enticing!"

"We're four short," Jafar remarked as he looked over his allies.

"A dilemma back at the castle came to our attention, and I sent them to resolve it," Maleficent answered. "I shall explain more at a later time. Now then, is this the young Mr. Hawkins who found the map to Flint's Trove?"

"Aye, this is Jim," Hook said as he placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "But I'm afraid matters are a bit more dire than we originally believed. Poor Jim's mother has been spirited away by a creature from Neverland, and he requires our services to rescue her."

Hook had Jim repeat the explanation of the situation to the other Overtakers (much to Jafar's chagrin). However, none of the villains present had heard anything about anyone called "the Others" or "Lord Ombra."

"Pardon me," Loki began, his grin practically stretching from ear to ear. "But did you say you needed to locate John Silver, the notorious pirate?"

"Yeah," Jim nodded. "Look, I know he's a pirate, but he's not a bad-"

Loki held up a hand. "Do not mistake me for some moralizer. I only meant that I have just earlier this day brokered an encounter to purchase a reward from none other than your dear John Silver, and Maleficent here thought it would prove to be a frivolous detour. Now it is clear that Loki's plan was always the fated course."

Maleficent gritted her teeth, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise and fury. She turned to glare at the Fates.

"We did try to warn you, but you told us to speak only when spoken to," Clotho said.

"So you know where he is?" Jim asked, his eyes widening.

"Indeed!" Loki boasted as he flounced his cape. "But more to the point, there is something that need be acknowledged from a certain someone."

Maleficent bit back her rage and weighed the options in her mind. As much as she hated to humble herself, it was ultimately the necessary path to take.

"Very well," Maleficent said with a sigh. "Your plan was sound and the correct course of action, and I was quite shortsighted not to realize it sooner. Satisfied?"

"Very," Loki said with a laugh. "Now then, shall we?"

* * *

Cruella open fired upon the encroaching Dusk Nobodies, able to actually kill a few due to the convenient loophole that Nobodies do not truly live or die. Prince Hans found himself in a dual, locking blades with a pair of Samurai Nobodies and parrying them blow for blow. The Green Goblin and NOS-4-A2 flew through the air, clashing with a flock of Dragoon Nobodies and a single powerful Sorcerer Nobody. Saïx had his hands full as he fended off both Blackheart and Ardyn, though the pair of Berserker Nobodies at his side helped him to keep from being overwhelmed. However, the real battle was happening between Xemnas and Demyx.

"I should have had Axel eliminate you when I had the opportunity," Xemnas bellowed. "I shall now rectify that mistake."

A bolt of energy charged in Xemnas's hand, and he unleashed the blast upon Demyx. Demyx strummed a chord on his sitar, and a jet of water rocketed from the instrument. The water blast met the energy blast in the middle, and the two streams of magic pressed against each other, neither relenting. Xemnas attempted to distract Demyx by causing stray bolts of energy to hurtle towards the other Overtakers, but every time he attempted it, the Overtakers evaded the bolts and Demyx's blast gained the advantage. Realizing that they were locked in a stalemate, Xemnas redirected both blasts away and altered his strategy.

"VINES!" Xemnas bellowed as dozens of vines of Nothingness began to streak out of his hands.

Demyx tossed his sitar into the air and willed it to play itself, providing the battle with atmospheric music. As the vines snaked towards him, Demyx danced around each of them masterfully as if he'd rehearsed the choreography for hours.

"Come on, keep to the beat!" Demyx urged smugly.

Demyx called upon two large bubbles of water that began to collect and trap the vines as they came towards him. Once they were both sufficiently large, Demyx hurled the bubble back at Xemnas. Xemnas growled and destroyed them both with a wave of energy. Demyx then extended his arms upwards and summoned forth a wall of water behind Xemnas. With a swipe of his hands, the water wall became a tidal wave that descended upon Xemnas and swept him away. The sitar descended back into Demyx's hands, and he began to strum away a melody as the wave containing Xemnas began to collect into a large bubble of water that had Xemnas trapped inside like some demented aquarium.

"How long can you hold your breath, Superior?" Demyx asked with a smirk.

Xemnas, however, wrapped himself up in an orb of darkness that burst free of the water's surface and deposited a very soggy Xemnas in midair outside of the bubble. Xemnas's ethereal blades manifested in his hands, and he swooped down towards Demyx, preparing to slice his former henchman to ribbons. Unable to think of anything else to do, Demyx held up his hands and braced for impact as he wished that he could hold Xemnas back. However, no strike came, and when Demyx got up the nerve to look, he saw why.

Xemnas was suspended in midair just inches away from Demyx, unable to move a single muscle.

"Impossible!" Xemnas choked out.

"I'm... doing this?" Demyx asked as he looked at Xemnas and noticed the veins in his neck bulging as if straining. "Wait... it's... it's like I can control the water _inside_ your body! Of course!"

Demyx focused on tightening his grip, and Xemnas gritted his teeth as his veins bulged even more visibly. Demyx let out a laugh at his discovery.

"I could probably stop your heart... if you had one," Demyx threatened.

"You... will... regret... this!" Xemnas swore as a Corridor of Darkness whisked him away.

Upon seeing that his master had fled, Saïx knocked Blackheart and Ardyn away and vanished into a flash of darkness himself. The Overtakers quickly made short work of the remaining Nobodies, who didn't stand a chance without their masters present.

"Well! We certainly showed them, didn't we?" Cruella said as she holstered her pistol.

"We?" Hans asked. "That was all Dem's work!"

"He did quite well indeed," Ardyn said as he lightly applauded.

"I'm sorry, are we all going to collectively ignore how Demyx plays the fool to all of us?" the Goblin asked. "But the minute it's time to get serious, he drops the act and becomes just like the rest of us? Where has that Demyx been all this time, eh?"

"That is true," Blackheart said as he squinted at Demyx. "It's like I'm seeing you for the first time."

"Well we all have our things," Demyx said as he dismissed his sitar. "Maybe I like playing the fool."

"Heh!" the Goblin scoffed. "You've been one of the few exceptional people in this universe, yet you've been letting us all believe you were nothing more than a lackey. Deception is one thing when it's against our enemies, but against our allies? Now _that's_ something else entirely."

"Is it really his responsibility to cater to our assumptions?" Cruella asked. "People always underestimate a girl in diamonds and furs. Does that mean I should stop looking gorgeous because it might deceive one of you imbeciles as to my true nature?"

"That's not the same thing, and you know it," NOS-4-A2 argued. "He has the power and skillset to help bring the cosmos under our control, and yet he's been holding back on us."

"Demyx has always had our best interests in mind," Hans chimed in. "He's been lending us his skillset since day one, and he's brought far more to the table than _some_ people here."

Demyx rolled his eyes. "Can we please not talk about this right now? We've got a living room to put together, and I, for one, am getting sick of all this work. So let's just get it over with already."

"Quite right," Ardyn nodded. "Quibbling amongst ourselves will not accomplish anything at the moment. Let us table the discussion and seek out the... ahem, table. After we move the armchair to a safe location, of course."

"I hope you all realize that Xemnas almost certainly won't stay away after that shenanigan," Cruella pointed out. "He's here for a reason, darlings, and he's not going to give up that easily."

"She's right," Demyx said with a groan. "He gets tunnel vision whenever he wants something."

"Let him try to interfere again," Blackheart said as he summoned a ball of fire to his hand. "I'll light a fire under his ass!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lord Ombra and the Others are from Peter and the Starcatchers, though I'll be adapting them and tweaking them to fit more in line with the Disney version.


	36. Do What I Wanna Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you should be familiar with the song "Do What I Wanna Do" from The Princess and the Frog's Bayou Boogie album.

The Jolly Roger sailed through the Etherium away from Montressor, and Doom and Grimhilde were currently helping Hook use their astrolabe to chart a course to the Lagoon Nebula. To pass the time, Loki challenged the Fates to a game of Hnefatafl, grateful for the fact that they, having doubled as the Asgardian Norns, were the only ones familiar with the rules of the game. Though Loki claimed it was all just for fun, everyone knew that Loki was hoping to prove his mischief superior to fate itself. Jafar and Maleficent, on the other hand, were both currently in a foul mood regarding this entire excursion and had taken to remaining below deck in their cabins for the voyage. That left Riku bored and by himself on the deck of the ship. The only other person who wasn't otherwise occupied was Jim Hawkins, who was currently staring off into the Etherium from the rigging.

"See anything interesting out there?" Riku asked.

"Just... thinking," Jim said with a sigh. "Losing my mom... meeting somebody related to me from my dad... being about to see Silver again... it's just a lot to process all at once."

"Heh, is that all?" Riku said with a scoff. "Try finding out your memories and entire sense of self were fabrications and you were just a copy of another person who you detested, and  _ then _ you can talk about having a lot to process."

Jim was slightly offended by Riku's tone, but it sounded like he'd been through a lot so Jim let it slide. He didn't need to pick a fight with one of Hook's crewmates over an angry reply.

"That sounds rough," Jim said, not feeling up to saying anything else in reply.

"It was," Riku said with a nod. "You're Jim, right?"

"Yeah, I am," Jim said. "I didn't catch your name, though."

"It's Riku," he said.

"Nice to meet you, Riku," Jim said, even though he wasn't exactly feeling the sentiment.

Riku nodded. He didn't exactly want to keep the conversation going with Jim, but he knew that if he didn't, he'd be bored and alone. Enduring Jim was the least worst option.

"So, uh, your family runs that Inn, right?" Riku asked, not really caring about the answer.

"Yeah, that's right," Jim said with a nod. "I left B.E.N. behind to take care of the Inn, but I kinda wish he was here with me."

Riku rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'll bite, who's B.E.N.?"

"B.E.N. is my best friend," Jim answered and a slight grin started to crack onto his face. "He's a total goofball and sometimes a moron, but he makes me laugh and always makes me feel good."

"I had a friend like that once," Riku said as his face contorted into a scowl. "He never cared about me yet he kept trying to worm his way into my heart and make a mess of things. I got so sick of looking at his  _ stupid face _ !"

"I'm... I'm sorry to hear that?" Jim said, unsure of what the appropriate response to that was. "B.E.N.'s not like that, though. Maybe you'd like him?"

"I doubt it," Riku hissed.

"What is your problem?" Jim snapped angrily. "You don't have to act like such a jerk!"

Riku scoffed at that. "Whatever. You're not worth my time."

As Riku walked away, Jim huffed and turned back to looking out at the Etherium, thinking about how rude Hook's crewmates were. Silver taught Jim to pick his battles a long time ago, but a part of him really wished he could have wiped that smug scowl off Riku's face. This did not go unnoticed by the villains at the helm.

"Your little nephew seems to be having difficulty making friends," Grimhilde remarked.

"Ah, lads that age never get along particularly well," Hook said dismissively. "Hardly worth concerning yourself over, your majesty."

"The pirate is quite correct," Doom chimed in. "Doom never got along particularly well with his inferior peers during his youth."

"That may have more to do with you than everyone else," Grimhilde said with a sly smirk.

"Bah! Doom does not concern himself with the rabble!" Doom insisted. "How much further have we remaining to travel?"

Grimhilde adjusted the astrolabe to account for their current position before answering. "We still must venture past the Magellanic Cloud, but once we do, we shall be only an hour or two away from the Lagoon Nebula. I would anticipate half a day for our voyage."

"With all due respect, your majesty, the Jolly Roger is the fastest ship in all the realms," Hook boasted. "With me at the helm, I'd wager no more than four hours."

"And with all due respect to your ship, you will  _ not _ be able to arrive sooner than half a day," Grimhilde insisted.

"Doom could make the trek in under  _ three _ hours were he at the helm," Doom boasted.

"You touch my helm, I'll give you a few extra scars to hide," Hook threatened.

"If you dare attempt such a thing, I shall rend your very soul from this plain of existence and vivisect your corpse for spare parts," Doom countered.

"Vivisected or not, I'll still be more devilishly handsome than you were even before your accident," Hook taunted.

"Bah! Yours is an ordinary beauty, inferior to the fair countenance of Victor von Doom!" he retorted.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, do not forget that you are in the presence of the Fairest One of All," Grimhilde interjected. "While you both are handsome men, no man can compare with womanly beauty."

"You are a lesbian, and thus your opinion on the matter is inherently biased," Doom snapped back.

"Indeed," Hook added. "I find both men  _ and _ women beautiful, and thus I am far more equipped to be the deciding vote on this matter. And I vote in favor of myself as the most devilishly handsome one of all."

"Your attraction does not account for taste," Doom replied. "After all,  _ your _ bedmate is both old and ugly and that fact alone invalidates  _ any _ judgment you may have on the matter."

This discussion went on for quite some time, and by the time the argument had just about come to blows, Loki and the Fates had agreed to a stalemate in their game of Hnefatafl. It seemed that mischief and fate could no more overtake one another than could Hook, Doom, or Grimhilde admit that they were not more beautiful than each other. Meanwhile, below deck, Maleficent and Jafar sat across from one another, and Maleficent laid out three tarot cards in front of Jafar.

Jafar scoffed. "I had not thought you so base a fortuneteller. The Mistress of All Evil reduced to the shuffling of cards. How pathetic."

"If you do not wish for the wisdom of the cards, I shall put them away," Maleficent said flatly.

Jafar stroked his beard. "Well, as long as they're  _ here _ ...."

"As I thought," Maleficent said as she turned over the first card, revealing The Empress. "The Empress. A strong omen of pregnancy and motherhood."

Jafar waved his hand dismissively. "No fears of  _ that _ here."

"That may be, but she brings with her a message," Maleficent continued. "She beckons you to embrace a softer side, allowing yourself to feel your emotions and trust your intuition."

"Bah! I have no softer side! But do go on, this ordeal is rather amusing," Jafar said with a sneer.

Maleficent turned over the second card. "The Five of Swords in reverse. A peaceful resolution, ending conflict, and compromise."

Jafar scrunched his face in disgust. "Why ever would I want a fool thing like that?"

"It can also signify risking everything, being relentless, and not heeding warning signs, a fitting card for you, no doubt," Maleficent said. "Such things can also manifest as revenge and an escalation of violence."

"Ohoho," Jafar said as a wicked grin crept onto his face. "Now that's more like it!"

"The cards' likely meaning is that embracing your softer and more emotional side will result in a peaceful resolution to a conflict at hand," Maleficent advised. "But it is also possible that the cards tell of an escalation in violence and vengeance against a woman who embodies the maternal energies of which the first card speaks."

"If your cards are anything but nonsense, they would have known that I would never heed the first advice, so it must be the second case," Jafar pointed out. "Of course, I cannot think of any soft-hearted women who I have yet to destroy."

"We shall see," Maleficent said as she turned over the final card. "The Three of Cups, a card most commonly associated with festivities and celebrations. It seems you have joyful times on the horizon."

"Once I get revenge on this weak woman the cards speak of, it shall indeed be cause for celebration," Jafar said with a cruel chuckle.

Maleficent saw a different answer in the cards, one far more sentimental that foretold that if Jafar could trust his softer side and emotions, he could resolve the lingering conflict with Hook peacefully and lead them both to a more joyous celebration in the near future. Perhaps even a wedding. Yet Jafar would never hear of such a thing, and Maleficent had no desire to waste breath on those who would not hear, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

"See to it that I am invited to this celebration, whatever it may be," Maleficent warned. "Lest I be the one seeking violent retribution."

"Of course, of course," Jafar said dismissively. "I wouldn't dream of excluding you, my friend."

"That is all that I ask," Maleficent said as her lips curled into a smirk.

If the Fates had taught Maleficent one thing, it was that looking too heavily into the future made one oblivious to the present. Perhaps this was a lesson Jafar needed to learn for himself.

* * *

When Hades told the others that they were going to a place called The Hollywood Ghost Club, he'd imagined it would be a quick and low key mission with Ursula, Russell, and Fish. Unfortunately for Hades, he also forgot that  _ nothing _ was low key about Ursula, Russell, and Fish. All three of them had to spend at least an hour back at the Eminence Palace getting ready for a night on the town, which opened the excursion up to tag-alongs. Watts insisted on coming along to get a brief respite from whatever ghost kept attempting to curl his mustache. Penguin and Kieran both asked Hades if they could join, and he told them to go ask their mother, hoping to deflect the task of telling them "No" off onto Fish. But then Fish told them "Yes" and threw a monkey wrench into Hades's foolproof plan. Then to top it off, both Penguin and Kieran brought their significant others along for the ride.

"Party of...," Hades let out a deep, beleaguered sigh, " _ nine _ ."

The host looked at the large group with exasperation but ultimately nodded and walked off to go prepare a table large enough to accommodate them. The nine Overtakers were all dressed in flashy and stylish evening wear with Hades assuming his human looking form from Gotham and Ursula slipping into her Vanessa disguise in order to avoid arousing too much unwanted attention. The Hollywood Ghost Club was decorated in a 1920s inspired aesthetic with well dressed patrons congregating about at various tables, laughing and drinking as if they didn't have a care in the world.

"Alright, watch yourselves in here, and that goes triple for the mortals," Hades warned the group. "This place is one big glittery trap and time warp, and the guy runnin' this show is exactly our type of guy. That means you can't take anything in here for granted. Just because we wanna recruit him doesn't mean he won't try to add one of you to his collection of party-going souls."

"Well having run a club or two in my day, I have to say that I find this a bit lackluster," Penguin said with a sneer. "I mean, the aesthetic is perfectly acceptable, but where's the centerpiece attraction? Not to toot my own horn, but the featured attraction of the Iceberg Lounge was unmistakable and daring."

"It's almost as if you  _ want _ me to try to kill you again," Riddler said with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, it's definitely a lot swankier than the places I got to play," Sid said as he looked around at the glittery surroundings. "Though I do kinda miss the grungy effect of peeling paint on the walls and a dirty unisex bathroom right next to the stage."

"Yeah, this is where people with money hang out," Kieran added.

"Got it in one," Hades said to Kieran. "Specifically people with money who wanna know what's on the other side. That's the whole shtick he's been operating here. And, hey, normally I'd be mad at someone cuttin' into my business, but I respect the entrepreneurship."

Watts and Fish plucked champagne glasses off of the tray of a waiter walking by.

"It certainly does have style," Fish remarked as she took a sip.

"I'm simply grateful for the chance to drink something without the Sorcerer's Society causing me to spill my glass on my vest," Watts said.

"Be honest, doc, there wasn't any foul play with your drink. You just had an accident and are coverin' it up," Russell said with a chuckle.

"You really think drinking their champagne is a good idea?" Vanessa asked. "You know what they say about the food of the dead."

"The refreshments should be fine, just don't get too comfortable," Hades warned. "It's not the food or drinks themselves that are the problem. It's all of it together. The food, the drinks, the music, the lights, the atmosphere, the promises. It's all manipulation and all part of a trap. So just know that it  _ is _ a trap and plan accordingly."

"Table for nine," the host said as he approached the group and beckoned for them to follow.

The host led the Overtakers over to what was clearly two tables pushed together up in the balcony. Though the table was off center, they had a clear view of the stage. A silver, glittery wine glass shaped centerpiece had been placed in the middle of the table. After everyone was seated, Riddler picked it up and started to examine it.

"Could you not do that?" Penguin snapped.

"I'm trying to figure out if these are real diamonds we can steal or not," Riddler replied.

"They're fake," Russell said as he leaned back in his chair. "It's Cubic Zirconia. Can't you tell from the way it's bending the light."

"Some of us don't have vampiric sight," Riddler scoffed as he placed the centerpiece back on the table.

"I could rectify that at any time," Russell offered.

"Mmm, tempting," Riddler said in a tone of voice that conveyed the fact that it wasn't actually tempting at all. "But what breaks yet never falls, and what falls yet never breaks?"

Russell shook his head, not knowing the answer.

"Day and night," Riddler answered. "And I prefer getting to appreciate both, thank you very much."

The overhead lights began to dim, and the spotlights began to illuminate the stage, indicating that a hush should fall over the Hollywood Ghost Club.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a deep voiced announcer said as he came over the intercom system, "back from the dead by popular demand, please welcome Caleb Covington."

The audience clapped and cheered, and the Overtakers joined in as well as a floating man manifested in a shower of sparks above the stage. The man, presumably Caleb Covington, was quite handsome with slick black hair and a debonair smile. He wore a purple crushed velvet suit with sequin embroidery and a long black overcoat with a glittery purple interior. From his style and posturing alone, one could easily see that Caleb practically revelled in the spotlight.

"Hello hello! I'm  _ back! _ " Caleb said with a grin, earning raucous cheering from the crowd. "Your  _ ghost _ with the most!"

The audience laughed at the pun, and the Overtakers present had to begrudgingly admit to themselves that each of them had probably made an equally hokey pun when milking a moment.

"Now, let's be real, you all know that great things wait for you on the other side once that final light gets snuffed out," Caleb began. "But there's one perk of being dearly departed that simply cannot be denied: there's no one to tell you  _ what to do! _ "

Caleb snapped and vanished in a cloud of purple before reappearing on stage with a full ghost band behind him playing a jaunty tune.

"Psst!" Caleb whispered to the audience. "Hey! Come here!"

The Overtakers instinctively leaned in closer as Caleb discarded his overcoat and swaggered over to center stage.

" _ Evenin' here in the ghost club, _ " Caleb began to sing. " _ I'm glad that you stopped by. _ "

Caleb vanished and reappeared next to an elderly man breathing through the aid of an oxygen tank.

" _ I've got cures for whatever ails you! _ " he sang to the gentleman before dancing over and plucking the glasses right off of the man's wife. " _ And you won't believe your eyes. _ "

Caleb vanished in a blink of an eye and suddenly was back on the stage. The woman's glasses were inexplicably right back on her face as if Caleb had never removed them.

" _ I don’t reveal my secrets, _ " Caleb warned as he held a finger to his lips. " _ Might not always tell the truth... _ "

Caleb began to dance in perfect time with the drummer. " _ But I dance to the beat of my own drum, and I do what I wanna do, ooh. _ "

A swath of back up dancing ghosts appeared and began to dance to the brief instrumental interim.

" _ I got recipes for some beauty, _ " Caleb resumed singing as several glittery show girls manifested on stage with him. " _ And remedies for pain. _ "

" _ Make up a life of glamour, _ " Caleb offered as his back up dancers joined in the singing. " _ That no one can complain. _ "

" _ You will not even know it when I cast a spell on you, _ " Caleb said as he descended from the stage and began to dance through the crowd. " _ See, there's no pain to accept my fame, and I do what I wanna do! _ "

Caleb vanished again and manifested laying dramatically on top of the piano. " _ Some folks say I’m sneaky. _ "

An image of a trio of teenage boys who appeared to be in a rock-n-roll band appeared on the viewing screen. The crowd joined together to boo at that sentiment.

" _ Some folks say I’m sly, _ " Caleb sang as he hopped off the piano and ran his hand against the edge of the screen, earning more boos for the boys who dared to disrespect their miracle worker.

" _ They're all wrong! _ " Caleb sang with a snap as he dismissed the image, much to the pleasure of the crowd. " _ They're just jealous! Whenever I walk by! _ "

" _ We can tell you ‘bout your future, _ " the ensemble began to sing and dance in perfectly choreographed synchrony. " _ We can read most all the signs! _ "

" _ Might cut you a deal, _ " Caleb sang as he shook hands with a man in the front row, leaving a purple stamp on the man's hand. " _ If you’re a friend of mine! _ "

Caleb blew the man in the front row a kiss to punctuate his meaning.

" _ 'Cuz we get to hold the power after the last adieu, _ " Caleb and his chorus sang together.

_ "I take all of your suggestions, _ " Caleb sang. " _ But I do what I wanna do! _ "

" _ Do what I wanna do! _ " the chorus echoed.

" _ I do what I want, what I wanna do, _ " Caleb and his dancers sang together as the music built. " _ I do what I want, what I wanna do! _ "

"Boo!" Caleb shouted as everyone and everything on stage vanished to the sound of an evil laugh.

The crowd went wild with applause, giving Caleb a standing ovation. Even the Overtakers were impressed by his presentation.

"Now that was impressive!" Fish said to the others. "The sheer showmanship there was unparalleled."

"It was pretty fucking cool," Sid agreed.

"I'm glad you thought so," a new voice chimed in.

The Overtakers turned around to see Caleb Covington standing behind them. He flashed them a smile and snapped his fingers. One of the waiters quickly brought over a tenth chair for the table. Caleb sat down, and the Overtakers followed suit.

"Just the man we wanted to see," Hades remarked.

"Well, when a large party of lifers who I didn't invite comes into my club, I make it my business to find out their business," Caleb said. "Though only a few of you are true lifers, aren't you? I can see that some of you have had the light leave your eyes at least once."

"Good catch," Hades said with a smirk. "Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead, God of the Underworld. Maybe you've heard of me."

Caleb chuckled. "I thought that was you. I almost didn't recognize you in this ridiculous get up. You picked a handsome face to wear, though, I'll give you that. You model it after mine?"

"Oh GOD they do look alike," Penguin said as he looked back and forth between Hades and Caleb.

"I'm still not interested in moving on," Caleb told Hades. "I like it here getting to party and perform for all eternity. So if that's why you're here, you can forget it."

"No, no, nothin' like that," Hades said. "In fact, I want just the opposite, so let's cut to the chase. Covington, you want things, I want things. I've got a gig I need ya for, and I'm willin' to sweeten the pot by offering you membership into a once in an afterlifetime club bent on ruling the cosmos. We already took Mount Olympus, and we've got our sights set on the whole kit and kaboodle."

"Sounds like a good time but a little beyond my wheelhouse," Caleb admitted. "What's the gig you need me for?"

"We've got a pesky haunting problem back at our base from some punks we banished to the Netherworld," Fish said. "We heard you have the power to get those little bitches out in the open where we can finish them off permanently."

"Hmm," Caleb said as he looked over the Overtakers. "What kind of signing bonuses does your little club offer?"

"The power to  _ actually _ do whatever you wanna do," Vanessa offered, "and to get to do it with villainous friends who understand your need for darkness, power, and glamour. Plus plenty of us are theatrical and musical. You know, Sid here is an aspiring young rocker and quite talented at that."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, for sure," Sid agreed. "I'd love to rock out on stage with you sometime. It'd be fuckin' awesome!"

Vanessa smirked as she realized that she managed to hit the exact right button that Caleb needed to hear to accept. He scratched his chin as if he was thinking about it, but Vanessa and Hades both knew his mind was already made up.

"Tell ya what," Caleb said after a moment. "I'm looking for a new band to roll with anyway. I'll help you with your Netherworld problem and join your team. But first I need a gesture of good faith... A down payment for my services, if you will."

"What do you want?" Hades asked.

"If I accept your offer to join you, then I need to give a little payback to the boys who rejected my offer to join me," Caleb replied. "You saw the show. Those ungrateful boys... Luke, Alex, and Reggie. They think they can just skimp out on me with zero consequences. Well I wanna show them that their actions can have  _ dire _ consequences."

"Give me ten minutes," Kieran offered. "I'll make them bleed."

"Uh, they're ghosts and thus already dead," Caleb pointed out.

"I hate this," Kieran grumbled.

"We can manage," Vanessa assured Caleb. "You have a plan in mind?"

"As a matter of fact," Caleb said as his smirk became positively devilish. "I do."

* * *

The Green Goblin hurled another pumpkin bomb into the crowd of man-eating plants, blowing five more to smithereens. Yet still more man-eating plants attacked the trio of Overtakers.

"Is there  _ any _ end in sight?" the Goblin growled as his razor bats sliced a vine away from him. "I may have gone  _ green _ , but I think in this case, I'm rooting for pollution to make these wonders of nature a thing of the past!"

NOS-4-A2 fired a blast of plasma at the encroaching plants. "And here I thought I was done dealing with battle botany after Lightyear abandoned that Rhyzomian nonsense!"

"And can't you do anything but just lie there?" the Goblin snapped at Cruella as he stuffed a bomb down another plant's petals.

Cruella was simply lounging on the sofa, the second piece of the Living Room that the Overtakers needed for their quest. She was smoking a cigarette and propping her feet up as she watched the Green Goblin and NOS-4-A2 battle the plants.

"I  _ am _ doing something, darling," Cruella insisted. "I'm protecting the entire reason we came all the way out to the greenhouse. One of us has to make sure this isn't all for nothing."

"Lazy bitch," the Goblin grumbled as he continued to fight.

"I have had  _ enough _ of these vulgar vegetables!" NOS-4-A2 shouted.

The energy vampire rose up and began to radiate with energy. Bolts of lightning sprung off of him and struck various lawn mowers, weed-whackers, and edgers, beckoning the gardening utensils to come alive and do NOS-4-A2's bidding. The blades began to slice away at the killer plants, chopping at the very roots of the botanical nemesis. Between the onslaught of gardening equipment and the Goblin's bombs, the killer plants had little other choice but to retreat off to the recesses of the greenhouse, leaving a clear pathway to the door ahead of the Overtakers.

"Ah, lovely, that'll do the trick!" NOS-4-A2 cooed.

"You couldn't have done that earlier?" the Goblin asked with a groan. "I'm almost out of bombs over here."

Cruella applauded. "Good job. Go team... and all that cheery nonsense!"

The Goblin and NOS-4-A2 shared an exasperated look.

"Can I throw her off a bridge?' the Goblin asked.

NOS-4-A2 shrugged. "No one has to know...."

* * *

"I still can't believe you've been deceiving us this entire time," Blackheart hissed as he and the other three Overtakers with him stole down the catacombs.

"Can we drop it already?" Demyx groaned, trying to deflect.

"I can't believe none of you ever noticed," Hans argued. "I mean, Demyx has a convincing act, but we're all liars and schemers amongst the Overtakers. Did any of you really think he was the exception to that rule? I didn't."

"To be fair, most of us spare little thought regarding Demyx," Ardyn said coyly. "Now then, about that coffee table, it should be right ahead."

Ardyn pressed forward into the next chamber, and Hans followed. Demyx went to follow them in, but Blackheart grabbed his shoulder and held him back.

"Ugh, what now?" Demyx asked.

"You're powerful," Blackheart said. "And I wanna know what you're capable of. That blood trick you pulled on Xemnas was tasty, and it's making me realize that water has way more uses than I thought."

"Guess you'll have to wait and see like everyone else," Demyx said as he squirmed free of Blackheart's grasp.

"Uh, guys, we have a problem," Hans called out from the other room.

Blackheart and Demyx followed after them into the chamber.

"What's wrong?" Blackheart asked with a sigh as he looked around. "There's nothing in here."

"Exactly," Hans said with a sigh. "There's supposed to be a magical table in here."

"Where could it have gone?" Demyx asked. "It's not like it could just get up and walk away."

"Technically, it could," Hans pointed out.

"Both of you, hush," Ardyn hissed as he read over a piece of parchment that was left in the table's place. "Hmm... how interesting...."

"What? What is it?" Blackheart asked as he peered over Ardyn's shoulders.

"A letter from one of the wardens," Ardyn explained. "Apparently it was his wish that the Living Room not be brought together again. Such senseless nobility."

"What'd he do with the table?" Blackheart asked.

"It seems he sold it to a wealthy king on another world," Ardyn answered. "Though that makes me quite uncertain as to how noble this warden truly was."

Demyx groaned. "So we're gonna have to go to  _ another _ world to find this table? Where do we have to go _ now? _ "

Ardyn grinned. "Back to Olympus. It seems our little warden sold the table to the King of Phrygia,  _ King Midas _ ."

* * *

The Lagoon Nebula was a lush and tropical part of the galaxy up against colorful and vibrant cosmic clouds. The entire planet was a sapling of Yggdrasil and had large twisting roots that were as big as mountains, and from those roots, great trees grew and entire towns of treehouses were erected. It was a wonderful sight... but it just made Peter Pan homesick. None of the trees of the Lagoon Nebula were as lush or beautiful as the ones on Neverland as far as Peter was concerned, and it had been far too long since he'd gotten to see them.

Four years. That was how long it had been since Peter left Neverland. Four long years and then some, actually. Too long by Peter's estimate. Being away from the Lost Boys and the pirates and Neverland's immortal magic was hard, but Peter didn't really have another choice after the Second Star to the Right was stolen right out of the sky. He couldn't find his way home anymore. And since he couldn't go home, Peter realized something awful happened over those four years: he'd grown up. The day he realized he'd turned eighteen, he'd cried and sworn that once he got back to Neverland, he would simply pretend it hadn't happened. But pretending wasn't exactly easy when he still couldn't get home.

But he was close now. Very close. The Second Star to the Right was here in the Lagoon Nebula somewhere, and once he got ahold of it, he could get back home to Neverland in a flash. Then he could leave all of these adult changes and thoughts behind and get back to the important stuff, like having fun and playing games. Peter could practically feel the energy of the star emanating from a boat shaped restaurant called The Silver Shack, and Peter was prepared to burst in, dagger flashing if need be. However, something big came up behind him, bursting from a thick cloud of violet as if it were emerging from the sea itself, and Peter quickly flew out of the way to avoid being crushed.

It was only once Peter was out of the way that he could get a good look at what passed him by. When he realized what it was, he gasped. It was a pirate ship and not just any pirate ship; it was the Jolly Roger! Peter's hand instinctively went to his dagger, and he felt something he hadn't in a very long time....

The excitement of getting to face down against Captain Hook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caleb Covington and The Hollywood Ghost Club are from Julie and the Phantoms.
> 
> Peter Pan is from Disney's Peter Pan / Kingdom Hearts


	37. All Eyes on Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you'll want to be familiar with "The Edge of Great" from Julie and the Phantoms, "All Eyes on Me" from Bendy and the Ink Machine, and "Get Down" from Six: the Musical.

At the Los Feliz High School charity carnival, adults and teens alike had gathered to help raise money for the school and its popular music program. This year, the crowds were bigger than ever thanks to the publicity brought to the event by up and coming band Julie and the Phantoms playing at the carnival. On the outskirts of the fairgrounds, a very important conversation was currently being had.

"All I'm saying is that I'm absolutely right, and you're both absolutely wrong," Penguin said to Sid and Kieran. "Hook is a verse top who Jafar made into his bottom. That's just exactly what happened."

"Is this really the most pertinent conversation to be having right now?" Riddler asked.

"Yes," the other three said in unison.

"Jafar doesn't really give me top energy though," Sid said. "He's definitely more effeminate."

"Uh, firstly, effeminate doesn't automatically mean a bottom," Penguin pointed out. "And secondly, look at their personalities. Hook is way more submissive, and Jafar is way more dominate. Also, that genie form? I rest my case."

"Okay but like that trick doesn't always work," Kieran pointed out. "You and Penguin both give off bottom energy all across the board, but one of you has to top, logically."

Riddler massaged the bridge of his nose. "You are making a lot of assumptions for someone who said he was straight up until last month."

"Pot meet kettle," Penguin grumbled under his breath.

"Kieran might be a baby gay, but he's also right," Sid agreed. "How do you two decide who tops?"

Watts's voice came on over their headsets. "You four do realize you didn't mute your microphones before having this conversation."

"Perfect! Watts! You can weigh in!" Sid said.

"I shall do no such thing," Watts asserted.

"Right, because it's obvious that they argue over who gets to bottom and have had to make up a schedule for it," Russell chimed in over the comm system.

The expressions on Penguin and Riddler's faces confirmed this to be true. Over near the main stage, Fish, Hades, and Vanessa collectively rolled their eyes at the conversation being had.

"Boys, BOYS!" Fish asserted. "Get back to work! This ain't the time to kiki with your friends. We have a revenge quest to get underway!"

"Speaking of which, where is our Fantastic Mister Phantom?" Hades asked with a groan. "He said he was gonna meet us here, and I did  _ not _ spend a whole drachma to be stood up!"

"Wouldn't be the first time, though," Vanessa teased as she bumped Hades with her hip.

"Hey guys, I'm here!" a short red-headed teenage boy said as he walked over to Hades.

"Get lost, shorty," Hades warned. "We're not here to be a daycare."

"No, no, it's me!" the young boy insisted. "It's Caleb Covington!"

"That's officially disturbing, babe," Hades said as he grimaced.

"This teen heart throb is one of Julie's little friends," Caleb explained. "So I decided to take his body for a little spin so that I could get close enough to the band to tear them apart."

"See now that's just creepy on multiple levels," Fish said. "But you do you."

"Julie trusts this Nick guy," Caleb explained. "And I just need her to have a moment of blind trust. Did you write up the contract like I asked?"

"Oh please, of course I did," Vanessa said as she handed Caleb the golden contract. "Next time maybe something challenging?"

"Perfect!" Caleb said as he hid the contract beneath a stack of boring papers on a clipboard. "You know what to do?"

"Of course, angelfish," Vanessa said with a devilish grin.

"Good, good," Caleb nodded. "Make sure your guitarist is in position by the stage for the big number. The rest of your crew can find a spot in the audience. It's gonna be a show to  _ die _ for!"

Caleb made his way to the tent that Julie was given to use as her dressing room. She and her best friend Flynn were inside, getting psyched up for the big show, and though they weren't visible to anyone (except Julie), Luke, Alex, and Reggie were tuning their instruments to prepare for the show as well. It wasn't as big of a gig as playing the Orpheum, but tonight was their first performance since then. Everyone was excited to hear the band play again.

"Knock, knock!" Caleb said as he peeked into the tent. "Can I come in?"

"Hey Nick!" Julie said with a grin that made Luke shuffle uncomfortably. "Yeah, come on in!"

"I don't wanna bother you too much before a big show," Caleb said, trying to act as much like a sensitive but ostensibly heterosexual teenage boy as he could (a challenge considering Caleb was none of the above). "I'm so pumped for it though! You guys are gonna ROCK!"

Caleb did an awkward headbang that tossed around Nick's ginger mop of hair in a way that looked incredibly unnatural.

"Uh, thanks Nick," Julie said awkwardly.

"One quick thing!" Caleb said as he forced himself not to talk with his hands. "My mom sent me with this. I need your signature on the golden page so the PTA can approve the funds for the show."

"Oh yeah, of course!" Julie said.

Caleb passed Julie the clipboard with the contract, and she quickly signed her name on the dotted line without even reading what it was. And why would she have? After all, Nick was always a true friend to her before, and she had no reason to suspect that he was lying.

"Thanks Julie!" Caleb said with a devious grin. "Break a leg out there tonight! I just know a  _ hush _ is gonna fall over the crowd when they see you perform."

Caleb left the tent, and soon after, it was time for the big show. Sid and Caleb were waiting in the wings of the stage, while the other Overtakers were clumped together in the middle of the crowd. Julie came on stage alone after the MC announced her, or at least she appeared to be alone to everyone who wasn't Caleb. Through Caleb's eyes, plain as day, he could see the ghostly band that rejected his generous offer. The sight of Luke, Alex, and Reggie filled Caleb with rage and anticipation. Tonight he would have his revenge!

Julie began to play the keyboard and sing the song that first went viral online and propelled them to moderate fame. " _ Running from the past. Tripping on the now. What is lost can be found, it's obvious. _ "

"She's got a good set of pipes," Sid whispered to Caleb.

"I didn't ask," Caleb asserted as he finished dressing his gangly teen body in a more stylish, glitzy, and purple outfit.

" _ And like a rubber ball, _ " Julie continued to sing by herself. " _ We come bouncing back. We all got a second act inside of us. _ "

The projector turned on, and the boys manifested on stage, visible to the whole audience and earning raucous cheering. Though the official story was that they were a holographic band that the projectors created, in truth they were ghosts who could only become visible when they were playing with Julie.

" _ I believe! _ " Julie sang, now accompanied by the band playing behind her. " _ I believe that we're just one dream away from who we're meant to be. That we're standing on the edge of... _ "

"You gonna do it now?" Fish asked.

"In just a moment," Vanessa said with a sly grin. "You know what they say. Timing is everything."

" _ Something big, something crazy, _ " Julie sang as she danced around the stage. " _ Our best days are yet unknown. That this moment is ours to own. _ "

Vanessa smirked. This was the moment she was waiting for. Her sea shell necklace began to glow golden, the same shade as the contract.

"Larengix glaucitis," Vanessa muttered under her braeth. "Et max laryngitis. La voce to me!"

Julie kept performing blissfully unaware. " _ 'Cause we're standing on the edge of... _ "

" _ Great! _ " her voice sang, but the sound didn't come from her mouth.

It came, rather, from the golden wisp that flew out of Julie's throat and into Vanessa's necklace. Julie went to continue singing but found that she could only mouth the words. She tried to call out for help, but even that sound evaded her. With no more music able to be produced, Luke, Alex, and Reggie vanished from the audience's view and silence descended upon the entire venue. Everyone was confused by what had happened mid-song. Though the audience couldn't see them, the boys rushed over to Julie to see if she was okay.

"Don't you just hate technical difficulties?" Caleb said smugly as he pranced up on stage.

A few people laughed awkwardly to lighten the tension but most just looked confused at "Nick's" arrival.

"See, you were warned about that whole 'if she can't sing, you can't play' caveat," Caleb said directly to the boys. "Were you not? But, here, I want the audience to see the looks on your faces for what comes next...."

Caleb snapped his fingers, and in an instant, Luke, Alex, and Reggie were visible to the audience once more. The audience cheered, thinking that this was all just a part of the show. Caleb snapped again, and a spotlight came up on just him as Sid began to play a somber tune.

" _ A long, long time ago I had my own little show, _ " Caleb sang. " _ Was a beautiful, lovable, angel. _ "

The audience started to clap for Caleb's song, though Julie and the boys continued to look perplexed. Luke was the first one to realize what was actually happening and tried to usher everyone off stage.

" _ But  _ she _ took the spotlight shining so bright, _ " Caleb sang as a spotlight came back up on Julie, halting their escape. " _ Left me to fade away. But honey now the turn is mine.... _ "

Sid's playing began to pick up, and the lights came up on the full stage. Caleb made a gesture and teleported Luke, Alex, and Reggie back to their places and back to their instruments as they joined in the song against their will. The audience cheered when the band began to play again, and any confusion or doubts were put aside.

"Three, two, one," Sid counted down.

" _ A phantom kept from heaven, sent from beyond, _ " Caleb continued to sing as he danced over to Julie and put his arm around her. " _ Looks like Lukey's got a little date, let’s have some fun! _ "

Caleb began to dance with Julie, doing the same dance that Nick and Julie had rehearsed together for class. " _ We've got lots to do little errand girl! Come to me at cloud nine. To be the perfect angel, some sin must be done! _ "

" _ You! _ " Caleb sang, drawing out the word as he turned back to the boys in the band, " _ said I wasn’t good enough to stay, you pushed me away! You took away my future and my fame, but now that will change! _ "

" _ Focus on me! _ " Caleb belted as Sid joined in for back up vocals. " _ I'll be all that they see! _ "

And, indeed, the entire audience was fixated on Caleb as if they couldn't take their eyes off of him.

" _ I'll make them sway! _ " Caleb boasted as he forced Luke, Alex, and Reggie to sway back and forth at his behest. " _ No, can't run away! Now all eyes on me! _ "

" _ All eyes on me! _ " Caleb sang as he finally discarded Nick's body and resumed his true form in a flash of purple smoke.

The music continued on playing it's jaunty tune as Caleb looked back at Luke, Alex, and Reggie's looks of disdain and fear. He flashed them a perfectly chiseled smile and a well timed wink. It was his show now. The music then turned somber once more.

" _ You don’t know what it’s like to drown away, in a puddle of shame, _ " Caleb sang, thinking back to the unfortunate and humiliating accident that took his life during one of his own shows.

" _ But you! _ " he continued as he rounded back on the boys. " _ Yes you... Will go INSAAAAANE!! _ "

And unfortunately, with Julie unable to sing, leaving them unable to play their music or manifest, insanity seemed inevitable.

" _ But not anymore! _ " Caleb sang proudly. " _ I’m in control! I have the stage. You can’t turn the page, so do as you’re told! _ "

"Encore! Hit the beat boys!" Sid called out to the band.

" _ Focus on me! _ " Caleb repeated once more. " _ I'll be all that they see! _ "

Julie and Luke exchanged a desperate look as both of their hearts filled with despair that was quite contrary to the jaunty tune.

" _ I'll make them sway! _ " Caleb sang as the audience swayed along with the beat. " _ No, can't run away! Now all eyes on me! _ "

Julie ran off the stage in tears as Luke, Alex, and Reggie vanished from view, leaving Caleb as the only one the audience could see.

" _ Now all eyes on, _ " Caleb sang as he wrapped up the song. " _ All eyes on me! _ "

The audience burst out into applause, and Caleb took a self indulgent bow before turning around to face the band whom only he could see.

"I hope you enjoyed that, because that's the last time you'll ever get to play live in front of an audience again," Caleb taunted. "Enjoy the rest of your sad immortal afterlives knowing that you and your selfishness is the reason Julie will never be able to sing again. I guess you were on the edge of great... too bad that's as far as you'll ever be."

Luke lunged for Caleb, but he was too slow. Caleb vanished with an evil laugh into a cloud of purple smoke.

* * *

Ardyn Izunia, Blackheart, and Cruella De Vil made their way to Phrygia's famous courtyard out in front of King Midas's Golden Palace-Casino, the ritzy and glamorous capitol of a kingdom built upon vice and avarice.

"Clearly whoever built this place didn't use a professional decorator," Cruella remarked as she scowled at the architecture. "There's so much gold here that it clashes with itself."

"Greed is a sin, and this is a sinful city," Blackheart said as his eyes began to glow with black fire.

Cruella looked upon Blackheart's eyes with distrust. "Darling, are those supposed to do that."

Blackheart blinked twice and made the flames dissipate. "Sorry, side effect of being the King of Hell."

"Let's keep that to ourselves once inside, shall we?" Ardyn requested.

A large, muscular man wearing a blue chiton ushered in an old couple and told them to enjoy the show before stepping back in the way of the entrance. The three Overtakers attempted to walk past him.

"Hold up there! Admission is by invitation only, sweethearts," the bouncer said in a deep bass.

"Oh surely an exception can be made," Ardyn cooed. "Permit me to introduce myself: Ardyn Izunia of the Overtakers, the ruling party of Olympus, here on urgent business pertaining to King Midas himself."

The bouncer just laughed. "That's a good one, baby! But sorry, no can do! Besides, if you were really from Olympus, you'd know that Midas ain't king no more. Queen Marigold's new husband's callin' the shots now."

"This is pointless," Blackheart scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

Blackheart attempted to walk past the bouncer, but the large man blocked his path.

"You deaf, sweetheart?" he asked. "No invite, no entry. You got a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Blackheart said as he placed his index finger against the bouncer's chest.

Upon making contact with Blackheart, the bouncer could feel his flesh starting to shrivel up and sink in. He was beginning to turn blue and ashy as his body rapidly experienced the effects of sulfur poisoning in the span of a few seconds. His corpse collapsed to the ground, and Blackheart stepped over him and proceeded into the casino.

Cruella laughed maniacally at the murder. "Smashing!"

She and Ardyn quickly followed Blackheart into the palace's casino, which was just as gold and gaudy as the exterior. Knucklebones tables were set up closest to the entrance, and numerous patrons were flitting away their gold on gambling. What was the oddest thing about the casino, however, was the number of hyenas walking around unattended inside the palace.

"Filthy mongrels," Cruella remarked with a sneer.

"Why do you suppose the King of Phrygia has allowed them inside?" Ardyn pondered out loud.

Ardyn strolled absently off to the side, taking in the sights of the palace and examining the various patrons.

"Uh, Ardyn," Blackheart said as he grabbed ahold of Ardyn's coat and yanked him into position to see what Blackheart saw. "You're not going to believe this."

"Believe what?" Ardyn asked as he straightened out the sleeve that Blackheart had wrinkled. "What could possibly warrant such...."

But then Ardyn saw him, lounged about improperly on the throne. It didn't take long for Cruella to spot who Ardyn and Blackheart had already seen.

"That wretched little sneak!" Cruella spat angrily.

The bard was strumming his lyre in a light and lilting song that was essentially the Ancient Greek equivalent of elevator music. This, however, did not please the king.

"Oh Auric, do lighten up!" Scar growled. "Play something with a little more bounce in it!"

The bard nodded and quickly began to play a different tune, this one bouncier and jazzier. It seemed to please Scar so much that he began to sing along to it.

" _ Sittin' here all alone, _ " Scar began to sing. " _ On a throne. In a palace that I happen to own! _ "

A waiter walked by, and Scar snapped to flag him down.

" _ Bring me some pheasant! _ " Scar ordered. " _ Keep it on the bone! _ "

The king's cup-bearer walked over and began to pour him a refill.

" _ Fill my goblet up to the brim, _ " Scar commanded as he sloshed his cup around and caused it to spill a bit onto his clothes. " _ Sippin' on mead and I spill it on my vest with the gold lace trim. _ "

Scar chugged his drink, belched, and tossed the empty goblet over his shoulder.

" _ Not very prim and proper, _ " Scar sang as he wiped off his mouth with his own arm hair. " _ Can't make me stop! _ "

The waiter returned with Scar's pheasant, but he paid the servant no mind and hopped up from the throne.

" _ I wanna go hunting, any takers? _ " Scar sang as he danced down the stairs to the main floor of the casino. " _ I'm not fake 'cause I've got acres and acres! Paid for with Midas' riches! Where my hounds at? Release the bitches! _ "

" _ Woof _ ," the Hyenas sang out, followed by a cackling chorus of laughter.

" _ Everyday, _ " Scar sang as he hopped up onto one of the tables, " _ head back for a round of croquet, yeah! _ "

One of the servants handed Scar a golden croquet mallet and ball.

" _ 'Cause I'm a player! _ " Scar sang as he hit the croquet ball with the mallet and sent it flying directly into an old woman's head, knocking her out. " _ And tomorrow, I'll hit replay! _ "

"Oh Scar! Aren't you forgetting someone?" Ardyn asked with a smirk as he waved coyly at Scar.

"Overtakers?" Scar asked with a gasp.

"YOU BASTARD!" Blackheart growled. "THIS IS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN SINCE THE FIREBIRD?"

" _ You.. you say that I tricked ya, _ " Scar sang sheepishly as he tried to escape Blackheart's wrath. "' _ Cause I... I left the fight and tried to ditch ya? _ "

Blackheart grabbed Scar by the collar and yanked him up. However, instead of fear, Scar seemed to be exuding a smug confidence.

" _ Too, too bad I don't agree! _ " Scar sang as he blasted Blackheart off of him with a bolt of darkness.

The palace guards and hyenas were on the trio of Overtakers instantly, forming a wall of bodies between Scar and the others.

" _ So I'm gonna prance about where everyone can see! _ " Scar boasted. " _ AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME! 'Cause... _ "

Scar lowered a golden crown onto his head, and the hyenas instantly began to flock to his side.

" _ I'm the King of the Castle! _ " Scar sang before noticing that the hyenas were starting to drool on him hungrily. " _ GET DOWN YA DIRTY RASCALS! Get down! _ "

"ENOUGH!" Ardyn bellowed as his hands glowed with darkness that shot out and struck the throats of every guard and hyena in the palace, causing them all to pass out onto the floor. "They have no place in this, a conversation between kings!"

The music stopped abruptly as well. Scar backed up fearfully, and Blackheart rose to his feet with murder in his eyes. Ardyn, however, put up a hand to signal that Blackheart should stand back. Ardyn walked towards Scar, and though he had the usual spring in his step, somehow it was even more menacing than Blackheart's rage.

"Now then, my friend," Ardyn said as he inched closer to Scar. "You and I need to have a little talk...."

* * *

"Please tell me the Sorcerer's Society hasn't spread to this base too," Watts said with a sigh when he returned to his lab in Hollow Bastion only to find Steve, Trakeena, and Smythe waiting for him.

"Relax, it's nothin' like that," Steve assured Watts. "This is just... somethin' I should've made right a while ago."

"Something  _ you _ should have made right, and yet you're in  _ my _ lab," Watts reiterated with a scoff. "This ought to be interesting."

Watts sat down at his desk and propped his feet up on it as he leaned back in his office chair.

"Before you joined up, we had a member of our team named Daken," Steve said. "And he sacrificed himself to save me and Trakeena. It's high time we brought him back!"

Watts strummed his fingers against the armrest of the chair. "I see. And why are you coming to me for that? Resurrections are really more Hades's forte... or, if you're dead set on a scientist to do the trick for you, Hugo Strange has... experience in that field."

Steve nodded to Trakeena who proceeded to lift a large cooler filled with frozen shattered chunks of human flesh and plop it down on Watts's desk. Watts quickly recoiled his feet away from it.

"That's  _ far _ more than a flesh wound," Watts quipped.

"Daken has a healing factor that allows him to regenerate after almost anything," Steve explained. "His cells are still alive in there. They're just frozen."

"So melt the ice and let the tub of goo put itself back together," Watts suggested.

Smythe shook his head. "Too risky. He could become a sentient amorphous blob if we did that. We need a framework for him to generate around, a cybernetic skeleton if you will. I can help with the process, but this is ultimately your area of expertise."

Watts smirked at that. "Alright. Tell you what: I'll build the cybernetic skeleton if and  _ only _ if you tell me the actual reason you want this."

"What?" Steve asked.

"I'm no expert on metahuman physiology," Watts explained, "but if his regenerative healing factor is advanced enough to keep him alive through all of this, then surely it can be counted upon to put itself back together  _ correctly _ . And even if not, your vampiric blood or any of the sorcerers on our team would suffice for the act of resurrecting him. So if you want me to build him a cybernetic skeleton, I need to know why you  _ actually _ want one built."

Watts grinned smugly as Steve let out a defeated sigh.

"Okay, fine, you're right," Steve conceded. "You caught me. Look, Daken was my friend, but he was always... dangerous and unpredictable... up until the very end even. And as much as I want him back, he could ruin everything, especially if he still has hard feelings about the whole... y'know, leavin' him to die part."

"And you want to bring him back with a Trojan horse," Watts remarked. "Let him think you're doing him and act of generosity when you actually just want to saddle him with a skeleton that you can have me hack into as a failsafe if need be."

Steve looked down in shame. "Yes."

"Oh that's absolutely despicable," Watts said as he shook his head before chuckling to himself. "I love it! Very well, I'm in!"

* * *

Maleficent, Jafar, Hook, Doom, Loki, Grimhilde, the Fates, Riku, and Jim Hawkins entered the warehouse below The Silver Fish which was, in actuality, a hollowed out tree trunk used for storage purposes. John Silver, the fearsome cyborg, was sitting on a large crate, wearing his captain's coat and tricorn hat.

"Ah, welcome welcome, I was told you was comin'," Silver said with a hearty chuckle. "I hopes yer accounts live up to their reputation across the...," but his eyes widened when he saw Jim. "Jimbo?"

"Silver!" Jim said as he ran over to his long lost friend and wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

Silver awkwardly glanced over at the judgmental faces of the Overtakers and lightly and awkwardly patted Jim on the back. He didn't know very much about his prospective buyers, but his contact had told him that they were a bloodthirsty lot. Showing any emotion would be a sign of weakness and could damn the deal before it was even struck. Though Silver missed Jim terribly, he couldn't afford to greet his young friend the way he wanted to.

"Here now, Jim, we can't be rude to our company," Silver said as he peeled Jim off of him. "What is you doin' with a crew like this?"

"It's my uncle's crew," Jim said as he gestured towards Hook. "But that's not important right now! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Silver laughed awkwardly. "I'm sure ye have Jimbo, but you knows I had to make tracks after the Legacy."

"No, no, this isn't about that, this is about my mom!" Jim said. "This... shadow thing took her!"

All thoughts of appearing macho in front of the Overtakers melted away, and Silver instantly became a concerned father figure, putting all his attention on Jim.

"Yer mum?" Silver asked. "What happened? Why'd they take her?"

"It was some guy named Lord Ombra," Jim said. "He was trying to find you and some treasure chest you have. He couldn't find you, but he knew we were friends and took my mom so that I'd have to get you and the chest for a trade off."

Silver felt as if he'd been hit by a ton of bricks. His conscience was riddled with guilt for putting Jim and his mother in jeopardy because of their ties to him. Silver always knew that his soft spot for Jim was a mortal weakness that his bloodthirsty crew on the Legacy would exploit, but he never would have dreamed that the soft spot would end up endangering Jim years after they parted ways. In that moment, Silver felt like he was a disease that had infected the young man that he loved like a son. But he couldn't harp on that. He could only deflect.

"And just what be yer part in all this, then?" Silver growled as he looked past Jim at the Overtakers.

"I'm simply looking out for my nephew," Hook said. "My associates here are helping me to see this through."

"A likely story," Silver scoffed. "I knows ye all by reputation. You lot are the Overtakers, the most powerful group o' scoundrels this side of the Coral Galaxy!"

"What?" Jim asked.

"Why I wouldn't be surprised if this weren't all yer doin' just to get me chest," Silver growled.

"Careful, mate," Hook hissed. "Don't impugn my honor, especially not where it concerns my family!"

"Our intentions are simply to help young Mr. Hawkins," Maleficent added. "I have little interest in your neutron star, I can assure you."

"Wait, a  _ neutron star? _ That's what's in the chest?" Jim asked.

"More than likely you're here to help yourself somehow," Silver growled at Maleficent, ignoring Jim's question. "

"Silver, stop," Jim urged.

"You don't know who yer uncle is dealin' with, Jim," Silver warned. "They're not good people!"

"And neither were you when I met you," Jim argued.

Jim's words cut Silver to the quick and made him recoil slightly.

"And look at you now," Jim said with a scoff. "What were you going to do with a neutron star? Sell it to some creep who could use it to kill hundreds of thousands of people?"

"Well, Jimbo, that's... eh... that's not...," Silver stuttered.

"That's exactly what he was gonna do!" a young man's voice called out. "But that star doesn't belong to him!"

Everyone looked up to see the source of the voice. A young man with fiery red hair clad in a green tunic flew down from the rafters up above.

"Oh no," Riku groaned. "Peter Pan? REALLY?"

"Pan?" Hook asked with a shiver.

Peter Pan gasped and drew his dagger. "Riku! I should've guessed we'd cross paths again!"

Riku launched a ball of Dark Firaga towards Peter, but Peter gracefully flew away from the blast, allowing it to crash harmlessly into the wall.

"Missed me, missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!" Peter shouted as he laughed.

That was when Peter laid eyes upon Hook.

"Captain! I know I've been gone a long time, but you look really different!" Peter said as he flew a circle around Hook and flicked Hook on the back of the ear before flying away to evade the retaliation.

"I'm not the Hook you know, but I have no qualms regarding introducing your throat to my hook!" he snapped back.

"Aww, you say the funniest things, just like the old codfish back home!" Peter quipped.

"I can assure you, unlike your old codfish, we're not to be trifled with!" Jafar spat as he blasted Peter with a bolt of energy from his staff, causing Peter to be surrounded by a crimson aura that allowed Jafar to control his every move. "I destroyed the last little brat who called himself Peter Pan! Why don't I send you to meet your namesake?"

"Hey! Wait! Don't hurt him!" Jim urged.

"No worries, Jim, Jafar's a genie and genies cannot kill anyone," Hook assured him.

"Why must you undermine me like that?" Jafar asked with a scowl. "I don't go around exposing  _ your _ weaknesses for all the worlds to see!"

"Er... sorry mate," Hook said awkwardly. "I might not have fully considered my words."

Jafar guided Peter down to the ground, and Maleficent quickly summoned several thorns to bind Peter's arms and legs.

"Now then, you shall reveal to us why you are here," Maleficent ordered.

"You're not the boss of me!" Peter said defiantly.

"You dare speak in such a manner to ME?" Maleficent asked as her eyes flashed with rage and thunder clapped behind her. "I shall make you feel pain unlike any you've ever known!"

"If we may, Mistress," Lachesis chimed in. "We can illuminate the reason the boy is here and the threads of fate that have been tangled."

Maleficent calmed herself down and nodded. "Yes... very well, I think that would be most helpful, ladies."

"The boy comes from Neverland," Clotho explained, "and the path to Neverland is the Second Star to the Right."

"You mean to tell me that the neutron star we are bidding upon is the same star that creates the path to the boy's world?" Doom asked.

"Yes," the Fates nodded in unison.

"You stole his way home?" Jim asked as he looked to Silver with hurt in his eyes.

"No, lad, I didn't!" Silver said desperately. "I swears to ye I didn't! I never would do such a thing!"

"He's telling the truth," Atropos assured him. "Lord Ombra tore the star from the heavens above, stranding poor Peter Pan away from Neverland. However, he lost it soon after."

"There has been much conflict regarding that star," Lachesis added. "Over the past four years, it has been stolen by multiple interested parties. Silver was simply the last person to steal it."

"Fascinating," Loki cooed. "What a tangled web indeed. Who could have guessed that such a star would prove so valuable?"

"And I need it to get home!" Peter said as he struggled against the thorns.

"Let him go!" Jim urged.

"I do not take orders from you," Maleficent sneered.

"Mate, I would not test her were I you," Hook warned. "Maleficent has been incredibly generous thus far, but her patience is not infinite."

"This isn't right!" Jim argued. "He's just a victim in all of this!"

"Why need that concern us?" Grimhilde asked.

Hook flashed Grimhilde a glare, urging her to be silent before turning back to Jim.

"We need to know a bit more about this young interloper before we can let him go," Hook said, trying to smooth things over.

"You can't trust Captain Hook!" Peter shouted. "He's still the same lying, slimy pirate no matter how handsome he got."

"As if anyone can trust a bloody demon like you," Hook snapped back.

"Look, Peter, right?' Jim asked as he knelt down in front of Peter. "I think maybe we're all on the same side here. It sounds like Lord Ombra is the guy we all wanna see stopped. He took my mom and is holding her hostage to try to get that star back. If you'll just tell us what happened to you, maybe we can help you too."

Jim, however, was the only one who believed that everyone was on the same side. Hook could feel his friends' frustration at this entire excursion. They weren't ones to suffer fools, and with Peter Pan now here, Hook wasn't sure how much longer he could maintain their patience and mercy. Silver, meanwhile, didn't trust the Overtakers one bit. He'd heard the tales of the darkness they left in their wake. He knew they weren't here just to help Jim, and his brain was whirling and twirling faster than the gears in his robotic appendages, trying to figure out how to help Jim without endangering anyone from the Overtakers. Peter Pan didn't know everyone, but the few who were familiar to him were known enemies. Still, he wasn't exactly in a position to fight back, and Jim at least was offering an olive branch. It seemed like the only way out of this situation was to take it.

"There was something weird at the clocktower a while back," Peter Pan explained. "It even had Tinker Bell spooked. I went with my friends Sora, Donald, and Goofy to investigate, and we fought against this really scary and powerful Heartless that looked like a black cloak flying all by itself. We beat it, and I thought that was the end of it. But then the strange things started happenin' again. Sora wasn't around, so I went alone, and the thing was back... sort of."

"Sort of?" Jim asked.

"The first time I fought that thing, it was definitely a Heartless," Peter continued. "But when it came back the second time, it was stronger and more whole. It's like... the first time it was just a shadow of itself, but then the second time, he was himself again."

"He? Lord Ombra?" Jim asked.

Peter nodded. "Yeah. I tried to fight him, but, like I said, he was stronger than before and I didn't have Sora's help. He did some spell with the clock tower and ripped the star right out of the sky. I managed to get out of there before he could kill me, but without the Second Star to the Right, I couldn't get back to Neverland. I was stuck in London. I've been looking for the star for the past four years, and it's finally right there. I can finally go home and see all my friends if you just give it to me!"

"But I still need it to trade for my mom," Jim argued. "I can't just give it to you. I'm sorry."

"Likely story!" Peter scoffed. "With friends like Hook and Riku, you probably just wanna use the star's power just like everyone else!"

"I swear to you that I don't!" Jim promised. "Please... you can trust me. I'll prove it."

Jim picked up Peter's dagger from the ground and cut through the brambles.

"Jim," Hook said, "I wouldn't do-"

But Jim didn't listen. With a snap, the thorny vines snapped in half, setting Peter free. Jim then proceeded to hand Peter back the dagger.

"Here," he said. "It's yours."

Peter hesitated slightly but ultimately took the dagger. "Okay then. Maybe I  _ can _ trust you."

"If I may make a suggestion," Hook said as he interjected himself into the conversation. "We only need the star for a brief exchange to save Sarah Hawkins, and the exchange is to happen on Neverland. So I propose we take Peter back to Neverland with us, and then we give Ombra the chest in exchange for Jim's mother. Once we have Sarah safely in hand, we take the chest back from Ombra, make him pay dearly for his actions, and then return the star to its rightful place."

"I like that plan," Jim agreed. "It's risky, but it's the best option we've got."

Peter nodded. "Okay, yeah. I'm in."

"Jimbo, I don't thinks ye realize just how dangerous this crew is to throw yer lot in with," Silver warned. "We can't trust the Overtakers to make this exchange go off without a hitch."

"Oh please allow me to kill him now," Grimhilde hissed. "I do not tolerate being spoken of in such a manner."

"Jim, my boy," Loki said as he stepped in front of Grimhilde, "you can trust us. After all, we're here for you at the behest of your own uncle. But this cyborg is clearly attempting to place doubt into your mind because he does not wish to give away freely the star that he could sell to the highest bidder."

"Here now! Belay that! That not be true!" Silver snapped.

"And how am I supposed to believe that?" Jim asked. "The only reason we're in this mess is because you took something that didn't belong to you...  _ again! _ "

Silver sputtered. "But... but Jim, I-"

"No, you're going to go along with the plan because it's the right thing to do," Jim asserted. "If there's  _ any _ part of you that's still decent or actually cares for me, you'll do this."

Silver slumped and nodded his head. "Very well, lad. Have it yer way. But we should wait until mornin' to depart. Let me treat ya all to room and board. I'll fix ya some of me famous bunzel beast stew!"

Jim and Peter both agreed to that and began to follow Silver back up to the restaurant level of The Silver Fish.

Maleficent placed a cold hand on Hook's shoulder. "A word, captain."

The Overtakers returned to the Jolly Roger, and Doom ensured that they would not be overheard either by magic or technology or any inconvenient eavesdroppers. Once they were in the clear, any pretenses of politeness were dropped.

"Since when are we a charity group helping boys get back home, rescuing their mommies, or putting the cosmos back the way we found it?" Jafar asked loudly, raising his arms in exasperation.

"I too am less than fond of this plan," Grimhilde (who had become the old hag again shortly after they returned to the ship) sneered. "What have we to gain from any of this?"

"Our task here is to ensure we can monopolize control of my mother's technology," Hook replied with an exasperated sigh. "Keeping Jim on our side is a part of that task."

"So is simply killing the boy and moving on," Doom pointed out.

"Technically true," Loki agreed.

"He's my blood, and we've helped any number of dark hearted rascals with far less use to us," Hook pointed out. "What makes helping Jim any different?"

"The fact that he's so clearly a hero," Riku said with a sneer.

"Says the false double of a hero who has thwarted our plans on several occasions," Hook snapped back. "Yet  _ you _ were allowed into our fold despite all of that."

Riku made a threatening gesture towards Hook, but Maleficent held him back and halted him in his tracks with a lethal glare. She then turned that glare back upon Hook.

"Riku is like a son to me," Maleficent said as the orb atop her staff began to glow menacingly. "He is here because I chose for him to be. Question my decision at your own peril!"

"But you've proven my point exactly," Hook argued. "He's here because he was like family to you despite any marks against him. Why does that all of a sudden not prove true for my nephew and the last link I have to my mother? I thought we looked after our own."

"I have not dismissed the possibility of bringing young Hawkins into the fold," Maleficent assured Hook. "However, this current course of action where we allow the boy to chart our course for us in such a way that is counter to our nature cannot continue."

"At last we hear some sense!" Jafar said, applauding Maleficent. "Either the boy is one of us and accepts what that means in full, or he is a liability and an enemy that must be destroyed."

"Listen to old granny," Grimhilde said as she took Hook's hand into hers. "Of all the villains here, none of them know as well as I do what it's like to want to cling to anything left of your mother. I understand you, sonny. But I also can warn you not to allow those feelings to drive you on a path to destruction. You have a family, a real family, here with us, and you have to put the good of the family before this pursuit. Lest you risk losing what you already have."

Hook let out a deep sigh and nodded. He knew Grimhilde was right as much as it pained him to admit it. He wanted to be there for Jim in the way that he wasn't for Baelfire, but that ship appeared to be sailing.

"What would you have me do?" Hook asked after a moment.

"Atta boy!" Jafar said with a grin as he patted Hook on the back. "I knew you'd see reason! First things first, we absolutely should not return the star to the sky."

"Indeed," Loki agreed. "I want that star! I brokered the meeting to obtain it, and I shall have it!"

"Knowing that a Heartless of that power sought it even before recompletion certainly makes me more intrigued as to the star's power," Doom added. "Such power could prove most useful."

"Quite so, and yet it is this Lord Ombra who intrigues me the most," Maleficent remarked. "A connection to the darkness to the extent that the boy described would further our plans a great deal more than a mere twinkling cosmic light. I would hate to lose a potential ally of that caliber"

"Well then what's the plan, your excellency?" Hook asked with a defeated air to his voice.

Maleficent considered the question for a moment before answering. "We go through with the exchange as promised. However, rather than setting things right in the end, we shall take control of both the star and young Hawkins' mother. All present will be given the chance to join our forces. Those who refuse shall be  _ destroyed! _ "

Hook nodded somberly. "A vivid plan indeed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Julie, Flynn, Luke, Alex, Reggie, and Nick are all from Julie and the Phantoms.
> 
> Phrygia is from Hercules; the Animated Series.
> 
> John Silver is from Treasure Planet.


	38. Star Power

The gravity of Maleficent's decision weighed on Hook's conscience and rattled around in his head. He was going to have to betray Jim. That much was inevitable. Jim may have been the last link Hook had left of his mother, but there was no circumstance where Hook would consider betraying the Overtakers for Jim's sake. That course of action was simply unthinkable. The Overtakers were his family, and they accepted him as he was with no caveats. All the same, Jim was his nephew, his blood, and more than that, Jim was Hook's second chance to make right what he made wrong all those years ago when he sent Baelfire away with Pan... the  _ other _ Pan, that is. The version of Peter Pan who was presently involved was not the party of concern. Well, he was. Just a different concern... the type of concern where you meet a teenager and immediately decide that they need to die, but they can fly away before you can spill their blood.... That part wasn't important right now.

As misfortune would have it, Jim and Peter were currently spending time together on the deck of The Jolly Roger. Despite their somewhat rocky introduction, they already seemed to be getting along swimmingly. They were laughing and joking around with each other, and despite the dread of the coming confrontation with Ombra, they seemed to be in good spirits. Jim was certainly happier talking to Peter than he was when he had to spend time with Riku earlier. That fact didn't bode well for Jim choosing the Overtakers. All the same, Hook wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"So there I was," Peter continued on his seemingly unending word vomit, "unable to fly, holding just my dagger in one hand while the other was tied behind my back. And there was the old codfish, thinking he could actually win this time. He had this really cranky look on his face like he hadn't been able to go to the bathroom for-"

"As utterly riveting as this story sounds," Hook interrupted, "I was hoping for a moment to speak with my nephew... alone."

"What? You mean you don't want to hear about how I humiliated you again?" Peter asked with a laugh.

"You  _ didn't _ humiliate  _ me _ ," Hook said through gritted teeth. "I am  _ not _ the old fop you delighted in tormenting. We may share a moniker, but that does not make us one in the same."

"Uh, Peter, give us a few minutes, will you?" Jim asked, flashing him a pleading look.

"Okay Jim!" Peter nodded as he began to float above the deck. "Just give me a holler if this codfish starts giving you trouble."

Hook scowled as Peter took off flying up into the rigging. "A rather maddening lad, isn't he?"

"He's not so bad," Jim said with a slight grin that told Hook that Jim actually rather fancied Peter. "What'd you wanna talk to me about?"

"Ah, well, you, I suppose," Hook answered somewhat awkwardly. "How are you holding up?"

"As best as I can, all things considered," Jim said with a sigh. "Peter's been taking my mind off of everything, but I'm terrified of what comes next."

Hook nodded. "Give it time. Eventually you become accustomed to perilous endeavors."

Jim laughed a bit at that. "I guess I'm also just... in a weird place with Silver."

"There seems to be quite a history there," Hook said as he pulled up a barrel and sat next to Jim. "Care to share?"

"I met him on the voyage on the Legacy," Jim explained with a sigh. "He was like... everything my dad never was. He made me feel valued and loved and like I was worthy of having a future. But then he mutinied against the crew and tried to take Flint's treasure for himself. He hurt people I cared about and might've killed them too. But... when push came to shove, he gave up the treasure to save my life. And then he ran away after we said good-bye to one another."

The story was one that Hook knew well. It was almost beat for beat the same as his own past with Baelfire. However, Hook's story ended considerably more unhappily. There was no saving of lives or reconciliation; just a century of separation, Emma coming between them, and an untimely death. Hook had heard that Baelfire was alive again back in Storybrooke, but he dared not face his former friend now. There was no path there that would not end in sorrow.

"And now that I've found him again, it's just more of the same," Jim said with a sigh. "He's still hurting people. He took that star and was going to let some low life use it to massacre innocent people!"

"Perhaps....," Hook began, trying to choose his words very carefully here. "Perhaps you simply must accept him as he is: as a blackhearted scoundrel  _ and _ a friend of yours. Perhaps even you might do well to set aside that moral self-righteousness."

Jim just shook his head at that. "No way. I went down that path before. Getting in trouble. Disappointing my mom. And I was miserable. But finding a good future and accepting that I do have the makings of greatness in me? That changed everything. And Silver has a good heart underneath it all. He just needs someone to remind him."

"But is that what Silver wants?" Hook asked.

"Maybe... maybe not," Jim shrugged. "I don't know. But it  _ is _ what he needs."

Hook's stomach sank deeper and deeper as he got further and further into the conversation. It was becoming painfully obvious that history was, again, going to repeat itself. Jafar and the others were right. Jim was another Baelfire or another Emma, and it was destined to end the same. Hook would never be able to have his cake and eat it too, and, as an Overtaker, it burned him to the core to be unable to have exactly what he wanted.

"I'll leave you to it," Hook said as he got up from his seat. "I'm needed at the helm... unless you'd care for me to teach you how to steer a ship."

Jim shook his head. "No thanks. Silver already taught me."

"Of course he did," Hook said quietly as he turned to walk away.

Jim looked a bit perplexed at Hook's sudden change in demeanor, but Hook just kept walking. He knew what was coming later tonight, and he did not relish it at all. As Hook walked away, John Silver squinted his cyborg eye in suspicion as it zoomed in on Hook. Something more was going on, and Silver was intent on uncovering exactly what it was.

* * *

Loki peered through his spyglass at the odd sight that the Jolly Roger was passing by. Neverland was close, and Hook was steadfast in his pressing onward. He would not allow for any "pit stops," no matter how intriguing the detour. In this case, the intriguing sight was an old shipwreck run afoul of a reef of cosmic debris. There was a story in every shipwreck, and Loki appreciated a finely woven tale as much as he did a finely woven deception.

"What are you scheming, Loki?" Doom asked as he walked over.

Loki smirked. "Who said I was scheming? Can I not simply admire a sight from afar?"

"If I could not tell when you were concocting a plot, I would not be your lover, I would be your eternal patsy," Doom explained. "I am well aware of the glint in your eye when you indulge in surreptitious endeavors."

Loki let out a cackle at that remark. "But, my dear Victor, that is all the time!"

"Precisely," Doom said with a scoff. "Now are you going to answer me or not?"

"Ships do not wreck without reason," Loki explained. "Any captain worth their salt would have been able to evade that reef. Yet not only did their ship wreck, it has been left in place. Why?"

"Pirates lurk amongst this part of the cosmos," Doom suggested. "Perhaps they were shot down?"

"Aye, perhaps, but we cannot know for certain without a thorough investigation," Loki remarked with a devious grin.

Doom sighed but ultimately nodded. "I already know there will be no talking you out of this course of action, foolhardy though it may be. Let us go and return before we are missed."

Loki waved his arms, and a wave of green magic overcame the two men and whisked them away from the Jolly Roger before planting them on the cosmic reef next to the wreckage. Up close, Doom and Loki could both see that the Light Ship was cracked right down the middle with large chunks ripped out of it as if it had been chewed upon by an animal. The wood was black with decay and cosmic dust, and the sails of the ship were in tatters. Along the side, in faded lettering, Doom and Loki could read that the ship's name was The Spinner.

"Evidently it did not  _ spin _ in a direction that was at all beneficial," Loki quipped.

"My scanners are detecting a disruption in the ethereal plain within the ship," Doom remarked.

"That's odd," Loki said as he scratched his chin, "particularly out here in the middle of the Etherium. Could your instruments be malfunctioning?"

"Doom's instruments do NOT malfunction, as you well know," Doom huffed. "You posed that question for the sole purpose of insulting me, and I shall not stand for it."

Doom's rocket boots activated, and he flew up to the deck of The Spinner in a huff. Loki rolled his eyes and teleported after him.

"You are truly far too sensitive," Loki scoffed.

Doom growled under his breath. "Lover or no lover, I shall hurl you through the Infernal Plains and stomp over your smoldering remains."

"And if you dare attempt such a thing, I shall make that armor your coffin as I send you hurtling into a black hole," Loki countered.

"HA! As if you'd ever successfully accomplish such a feat," Doom scoffed. "More likely, you'll fall into the hole yourself, and Doom would have to save your worthless life."

"You speak as though that wouldn't have precisely been my intentions," Loki retorted. "Lull you into my trap and send you off to your demise as the price for trusting the wounded gazelle."

"Bah! I already have numerous contingencies in place to counteract a black hole," Doom boasted. "Your deception would prove ultimately fruitless."

"And do I not have numerous allies in the Infernal Plains?" Loki asked. "Your threat would simply send me to visit old alliances to break bread and be merry."

"We were speaking of  _ your _ ill-begotten threat," Doom pointed out. "You denied yourself the chance to counter  _ my _ threat when you introduced a new peril into our war, and in doing so, you accepted the threat as valid."

"Firstly, that was never a rule of our little game," Loki argued. "And secondly, even if it were, I have little care for whatever arbitrary rules you impart upon our contest. Victory comes from  _ victory _ , not from technical arbitration."

"Be silent!" Doom commanded.

Loki seemed bemused by this. "I will most certainly not be."

"No, BE SILENT!" Doom said as he began to scan their surroundings and readying his weapons system. "There is something there."

Loki summoned his staff to his hands and readied himself for a battle. "Whatever it is seems to be a bit shy when it comes to showing its face on the deck."

"Then perhaps we should venture further into the ship," Doom suggested.

Doom and Loki walked over to the cabin door and tried to open it. However, a tough sticky substance with high tensile strength held the door shut. Loki scowled at the door and traced the edges of the door with his pointer finger as it radiated a green glow. Once Loki completed tracing the perimeter of the door, it fell off its hinges and collapsed harmlessly to the floor.

"Quite a useful trick," Doom remarked.

"After you, my dear," Loki said as he bowed dramatically.

Doom stepped into the cabin, and Loki followed a few seconds afterwards. Once inside, they could see that the sticky substance holding the door shut was a large spider-web. Skulls and decaying flesh both crawling with spiders littered the cabin, and in the center of the room was a dark looking altar.

"A dark ritual happened here," Doom said, thinking out loud.

"Indeed," Loki agreed as he studied the inscriptions on the statue. "This altar was built in dedication to Lolth the Spider Queen, one of the gods of the Dark Elves."

"Would she be useful to us?" Doom asked.

"Hardly," Loki scoffed. "She's a crude and chaotic fool more concerned with blood sport than ambition. That is, of course, to say nothing of her jealousy towards other gods. Between myself and Hades, she would see our Overtakers as little more than rivals."

"A petty arachnid of a god, worthy of being stomped out!" Doom said with a sneer. "I presume the ritual was the cause of the ship's unfortunate demise."

"But why would they invoke the Spider Queen's powers in the middle of the Etherium?" Loki pondered. "Surely there are simpler methods of killing one's self."

Suddenly, the sound of scampering feet interrupted Doom and Loki's conversation as three giant spiders, each the size of a horse emerged from below deck. One crawled out of a hole on the far side of the room, whilst the other two came up the staircase on the other end of the room. One of the two that came from the staircase quickly ran up the wall and attached itself to the ceiling. It was clear that Doom and Loki's vibrating of the web had disturbed the giant arachnids, and the beasts were now quite intent on making the two Overtakers into their lunch.

Doom and Loki stood back to back, ready for combat. Neither of them had to say it because they both knew that the other was thinking it. Doom and Loki had endured years of torture in the Hall of Nastrond at the hands (all eight of them) of the hall's giant spider servants, Odin's miserable agents of punishment. Loki's eyes burned in memory of the sensation, and Doom had to remind himself that his skin was still attached to his flesh. No giant spiders were going to change that. As Doom and Loki glanced at one another, they both nodded. They knew what to do.

"NO," Loki shouted as he drove his staff through the head of the giant spider closest to him.

"MORE," Doom bellowed as he fired a miniature missile into one of the spider's mouth, causing it to explode into spider-goop.

"SPIDERS!" they shouted together as they combined their magic to fire a bolt of green energy that disintegrated the final spider.

Doom and Loki stood where they were, panting for a moment before straightening up and regaining their composure.

"I think we handled that quite well," Loki said as he wiped the spider ichor off his staff.

"Indeed we did," Doom agreed as he dusted a pile of spider-goop from his shoulder.

"There may be more below deck," Loki warned as he eyed the staircase leading downwards.

"We are here," Doom said as he eyed the shadows. "Doom did not come all this way to retreat in an act of cowardice."

As Doom and Loki entered the cargo hold, they spotted a unique looking treasure chest that was presumably the precious cargo that The Spinner was carrying across the Etherium. Neither of them knew what the chest contained, but Loki already knew it would make a fine reward for their trouble. However, as Doom and Loki stepped towards the chest two more giant spiders appeared to fade into reality. These two were just as large as the prior spiders but colored blue and white.

"Phase Spiders!" Loki spat. "They can pass in and out of the Ethereal Plain."

Doom attempted to fire a bolt of energy into the spider closest to him, but the spider quickly scurried into the Ethereal Plain, vanishing from sight and avoiding the blast before it returned to this dimension behind Doom.

"These shall require a bit more finesse," Doom growled as he whirled around to face the spider as it returned.

Loki attempted to skewer his spider with his staff, but it, like Doom's, managed to slip away into the Ethereal Plain before emerging again and attempting to bite Loki.

"Their connection to this dimension is far too loose," Loki remarked angrily before an idea struck him. "Perhaps we should show them each  _ another _ dimension."

Doom nodded, catching Loki's implications. Hellish fire radiated off of Doom's hands as he prepared to strike the spider with a spell. The Phase Spider attempted to retreat back into the Ethereal Plain, but Doom intercepted its phasing, causing the spider to pass, not into the Ethereal Plain, but into the  _ Infernal _ Plains. Doom sent the Phase Spider hurtling through Hell, causing it to burn body and soul until finally its charred remains returned to the cargo hold of the ship. Doom scoffed at the pitiful creature and disintegrated the body with a single blast from his armor.

Meanwhile, Loki stumbled and fell to the ground in front of his spider. Loki's eyes conveyed pure terror as the Phase Spider lunged towards him, sensing weakness. However, Loki's look of terror quickly transformed into a look of wicked glee once the spider was in range. Green dimensional flames washed over the spider, who realized too late that he'd fallen for Loki's wounded gazelle gambit. The teleportation spell dumped the Phase Spider just outside of the closest black hole. The spider attempted to phase its way out of the black hole's gravitational pull, but it was no use and the spider soon found itself sucked into the trap, never to escape.

As Loki went to stand up, Doom offered the God of Mischief his hand. Loki smirked as he took it, and Doom helped him back to his feet.

"Now I certainly hope that is the last of them," Doom remarked with a huff.

"Indeed," Loki agreed. "But I trust now you see that my deceptive gambit that would send you into a black hole is flawless."

"A mindless beast like a spider is not at all a valid comparison," Doom sneered. "Do not insult me by implying otherwise."

Loki laughed and rolled his eyes as he proceeded over to the chest. It didn't take long to undo the latch and throw open the lid. However, his face fell when he saw that the contents of the box were nothing more than various letters, photographs, and log books.

"What is this?" Loki asked with disgust as he flipped through the notes, scanning them briefly as he did.

"Surely this box cannot have been the reason for the spider infestation," Doom claimed with a sneer.

"On the contrary," Loki said as he studied a few of the log books. "I'm beginning to see a clearer picture of this ill-fated voyage. This trunk contains scandalous evidence of the misconduct of a well-beloved politician of sorts. Bribery, embezzling, adultery, and perhaps even murder."

"You believe that allies of this politician summoned forth the spiders?" Doom asked, putting the pieces together himself.

"Yes," Loki nodded. "He would have planted a Lolth cultist on this ship and trusted the fanatic to do as fanatics do. Or perhaps he paid the cultist to kill everyone, but that sort of paper trail could have proven most unfortunate given the already damning evidence against him."

"Regardless, it is of little use to us," Doom declared. "We should leave this place before we encounter further spiders."

Loki closed the lid of the trunk and tucked it away in a pocket dimension. "I'm taking this."

"Why do you need it?" Doom asked with a groan.

"Reason not the need, Doom," Loki answered with a smirk. "Just like the star, I want it, so I shall take it! These things always prove valuable eventually."

"Or you're a hoarder," Doom remarked as he opened a Corridor of Darkness back to the Jolly Roger.

Loki grinned. "Yes, well, that too."

* * *

Night fell over Neverland, and Skull Rock, the decided upon rendezvous point, was cast in darkness. Several torches were lit and lined the walls, giving the cave a haunting low light that reflected off the rising tide sloshing against the rocks. In the center of the cave, Sarah Hawkins stood perfectly still in a daze-like trance. Standing to either side of her were several pirates who were keeping an eye both on the entrance to the cave and the shadows. Jim, Peter, and Silver entered the cave with Silver pulling a wagon behind him with the treasure chest containing the Second Star to the Right.

"Mom!" Jim said as he rushed towards his mother.

"Stop where you are!" One of the pirates huffed as he pointed a pistol at Jim.

All the while, Sarah did not respond and just continued to blankly stare off into space.

"What did you do to her?" Jim asked as he looked at his mother. "Why isn't she saying anything."

"Because I have made it so," a raspy voice hissed from the shadows.

A chill struck everyone in the cave as a shadowy figure slithered from the darkness. The figure appeared to be a black cloak fluttering on its own with only pure darkness beneath its folds. Jim and Peter had both met this creature before, and Silver could certainly guess as to his identity.

"Lord Ombra, let my mom go!" Jim ordered firmly.

But Ombra didn't seem to acknowledge Jim's response. His head (if you could call it a head) turned to face Peter Pan.

"You were not a part of our bargain," Ombra said in a tone of voice that no human throat seemed capable of creating. "And you interfered with my plans twice before. You should not have come."

"I was here when this started, and I'll be here to end it!" Peter swore.

"If you try anything amiss, the woman dies," Ombra fluttered over to Sarah Hawkins. "I can feel the star's power emanating from the chest."

"Yer a cowardly sort, Ombra," Silver barked. "Ye couldn't find me, so ye went after a helpless woman and her son! Have ye no honor?"

"Honor?" Ombra wheezed. "What worth is honor? A human constraint unworthy of one of my stature. Now I shall say this but once: hand over the star."

"Hand over my mom or no deal!" Jim said firmly.

Ombra slowly turned to Jim and raised his hand. As he did, Sarah raised her own hand and place it against her cheeks. At Ombra's behest, Sarah began to claw into the flesh of her own face with her nails, leaving four bright crimson streaks that poured blood.

"Stop it! STOP IT!" Jim cried out.

"You are not in a position to order me to do anything," Ombra reminded him.

"He may not be," Maleficent's voice echoed throughout the cave. "But I am."

A wave of green magic washed over the cave, sending Ombra's pirate minions into a deep slumber. In seven flashes of green flame, Maleficent, Hook, Jafar, Grimhilde, Doom, Loki, and Riku manifested in a circle around the transaction. Ombra looked around in recognition before turning back to Jim.

"You're playing with fire, boy!" Ombra hissed. "The Overtakers are not to be trifled with."

"Well you took my mom," Jim said. "You made me desperate."

"Overtakers or no Overtakers, I can still have the woman destroy herself at any time," Ombra warned. "Though I would be loathed to lose my leverage to purchase a bloodless exchange, I am perfectly capable of fending off your dark allies and taking the star by force now that I know its location. You, on the other hand, I'm certain have a preference to leave this woman alive, do you not?"

Jim went to answer, but he was interrupted.

"Not at all," Jafar answered with a devilish grin. "In fact..."

Magic poured from Jafar's fingertips and engulfed the chest containing the star. The chest vanished from Silver's wagon and reappeared in between Jafar and Hook. Hook placed a booted foot atop the chest to make their meaning plain.

"We're going to renegotiate the terms of the little exchange," Jafar said with a laugh.

"I knew ye couldn't be trusted!" Silver shouted.

"Hook! You black hearted scoundrel!" Peter added angrily.

"Hook? But... but why?" Jim asked, not even trying to mask the hurt in his voice. "I thought you were going to help!"

Hook shook away the sorrow from his face and steeled himself. "And how would that help me?"

Jim's expression darkened. "Should've known one of my dad's relatives would be just as rotten as he was."

"Do not hold your uncle in contempt," Maleficent said to Jim with a wave of her hand. "He was genuine in his desire to help you. It was you who expected far too much generosity from us. But now that the star is under our control, a new deal shall take place."

"I'll admit myself intrigued by this development," Ombra hissed. "But know this: that interest is the only reason I am indulging you. State your terms."

"The star is mine!" Loki declared proudly.

"Ours," Doom said with a sigh.

"Fine. Ours," Loki corrected as he rolled his eyes.

"As my associate has made clear," Maleficent said with a sigh, "the star belongs to us, and we shall take it. We have no need to further bargain. However, I must admit myself intrigued by your story, Lord Ombra, and your powers of darkness impress me. I could use a being of your talents on my Overtakers."

"No way!" Peter said as he drew his dagger and flew towards Maleficent.

Riku, however, quickly leapt into the air and delivered a kick to Peter's stomach. As he doubled over in pain, Riku drove Peter back down to the ground with a dark aura and held him face down against the stone floor.

"You're not going anywhere!" Riku said with a grin.

"Let him go!" Jim shouted.

"Be silent!" Grimhilde ordered. "You are in no position to make demands of us any more than you are to make demands of the shadow thief."

Ombra, however, was paying little mind to Peter's outburst. He kept his eyes locked on Maleficent as he contemplated her offer.

"I could simply take the star from you," Ombra remarked. "My powers are quite stronger than you know."

"Hmph! You think you can best us?" Doom asked. "A god, a genie, a fae, a true Blackguard, a witch, and a replica of a Key bearer alone would likely prove more than you could handle. Yet the element you should fear above all else is me, your DOOM!"

"The Fates told us that you were one of the Great Old Ones," Maleficent added with a grin. "If you know of us, then you should also know that we destroyed Master Octomus, one of your fellow Old One cronies."

Ombra just laughed at that boast, and his laugh made everyone feel uneasy. "Did you, now? I would not sound so sure of that were I you."

"What do you mean by that? Speak!" Grimhilde ordered.

"A Great Old One does not die so easily," Ombra warned. "If you villains can resurrect yourselves through the darkness, what makes you think that those of us who were  _ born _ in the darkness cannot do the same?"

"We really should have seen that coming," Loki said with a roll of his eyes. "But it's not as if it will matter. If the Master has returned, we shall destroy him again and again. The Great Old Ones are of little concern to me."

"Then you're a fool," Ombra said with a scoff. "The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be. You think to control the Realm of Darkness? My kind dwells beyond those dark gates, deeper and darker than you could ever know. And soon the Realm of Light shall become ours to rule over in darkness."

"Not while we have the star, I'd wager," Jafar pointed out.

"Can we simply kill him now?" Hook asked with a groan. "He clearly doesn't want to join us."

"Looks like your double cross didn't exactly pan out," Jim said with a glare that practically cut through Hook.

"An' that star belongs to ME, by t'under!" Silver barked.

"By thunder?" Loki asked with a playful smirk. "You say that as if _ I _ am meant to respect  _ thunder _ ."

"It belongs back up in the sky!" Peter argued, causing Riku to rub his face into the ground harder.

"Quiet, you!" Riku growled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jafar spotted several shadows creeping towards the chest containing the star.

"None of that, now!" Jafar said as he blasted the shadows with a bolt of magic from his staff.

Jafar then proceeded to become engulfed in a cloud of red smoke and grow larger as he assumed his genie form, earning a gasp of terror from Jim and Silver. Hook removed his foot from the chest, and Jafar reached down and picked it up.

"I think I'll be holding on to this," Jafar said with a grin that showed off his sharp, yellow teeth.

"You're more powerful than you seemed," Ombra observed.

"Come now, Ombra, you must see reason," Maleficent urged. "The other Old Ones wish for little more than a return to the age of chaos before the universe existed. They are nostalgic fools looking for a return to what  _ was _ rather than having in interest in creating what  _ can _ be! We seek to use the darkness to create rather than to simply destroy, and I think, deep down, you're far more interested in what you can build with us than to simply revert to a bygone era. Now, this is your final chance: you may either side with us as our friend or fall by our hands as an enemy. We will leave here with the star either way. Choose wisely."

Ombra considered another moment before speaking again. "Very persuasive, Maleficent. I suppose there is little reason not to see what your organization is capable of. I will submit to your leadership... for now."

"Should that 'for now' ever expire, you will deal with the wrath of Doom," Doctor Doom warned. "I am far less forgiving than most."

"So that's how it is, huh?" Jim asked Hook. "All that talk about family you said to me? What a joke!"

Hook scowled and looked away from Jim. "Release the boy's mother. She's of no further use to you, and it would be bad form indeed to keep her a moment longer."

"I do not answer to you," Ombra snarled.

"I'm one of the Overtakers' Inner Circle, the group you just joined," Hook snapped. "So, yes, in this matter, you  _ do _ answer to me!"

Ombra turned to Maleficent to confirm this fact. She simply nodded and the look in her eyes warned Ombra what might happen if he were to disobey.

"Very well," Ombra sighed as a shadow flew free of his cloak.

The shadow reattached itself to Sarah Hawkins, and the moment it did, she seemed to wake up from her trance. Her hand drifted to her bleeding cheek, unsure of what happened.

"Mom!" Jim called out.

"Jim!" Sarah answered back as she ran to embrace him.

"The boy too," Hook said as he turned to Riku, who was still holding down Peter.

Riku scowled but let Peter up. Peter began to fly up a bit with his dagger drawn. It was clear that he intended to fight for the star.

"Live to fight another day, mate," Hook advised. "It would give me incredible pleasure to run you through here and now, but on my honor, I'm letting you go with your life."

"Why?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"Perhaps not all Captain Hooks are as you fear," Hook suggested. "Now go before I change my mind! And if you ever cross me again, you won't live to tell the tale."

Peter squinted at Hook, trying to take measure of him, but eventually Peter simply turned around and rejoined Jim, Sarah, and Silver.

"Go on, lads," Silver said as he held his pistol aloft. "I'll cover ye as ye leave. Make sure there won't be no funny business."

Jim looked right at Hook before leaving. "This doesn't change what you did."

Jim then turned around and escorted Peter and his mother out of the cave.

"Why are you letting them go free?" Ombra asked Maleficent.

"I have asked a great deal of Hook this day," Maleficent answered. "I shall respect his wishes... for now."

Once Jim, Sarah, and Peter were clear, Silver began to back up towards the mouth of the cave. Once he was satisfied that the Overtakers would not follow him, Silver turned around and hustled after his friends.

"Is it wise to allow one of only two of Carina Hawkins' other descendants walk free?" Jafar asked.

"I gave Jim my word that I would reunite him with his mother," Hook explained. "I have done so. Our score is settled. If he gives us further trouble, we can eliminate him, but for now leave him be. He's just a boy, after all."

Once Jim, Sarah, Peter, and Silver were a good distance away from Skull Rock but still could see the strange rock formation, Silver turned back around to face it. Peter, picking up on Silver's change in demeanor, turned around and began to hover next to Silver.

"We've gotta go back to get the star!" Peter declared. "Who knows what those guys are gonna do with something that powerful!"

Silver held up his robotic arm. "Stay back, now! I've got me a solution in mind!"

Jim looked on suspiciously at Silver. "What are you planning now?"

"I figured somethin' like this would come to pass with that lot of blackguards!" Silver remarked as he activated a timer on his cyborg arm. "Sos I installed in the chest a detonator that would turn the old star into a shootin' star! It'll put it back in the sky wheres it belongs!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Jim said as his eyes widened. "Did you just say a  _ detonator??? _ "

Back inside Skull Rock, Jafar hoisted the chest up high as he flew up above the other Overtakers and cackled wickedly.

"The POWER!" Jafar declared. "I can feel it radiating off the chest! INCREDIBLE COSMIC POWER!"

"Power that is mine by right, not yours!" Loki hissed from down on the ground.

Ombra scoffed and crossed his arms. "As the humans say, welcome to my world."

"Let him have his moment," Hook said with a sigh. "At least something good came out of today."

Grimhilde placed a sympathetic hand on Hook's shoulder. "Give it time, dearie. You'll see that you did what was necessary."

"Wait, silence," Maleficent ordered as she tried to listen carefully. "Does anyone else hear a ticking noise?"

Jafar looked suspiciously at the source of the noise: the chest in his hands. Doom was the only one who reacted quickly enough. He dashed into the center of the Overtakers and manifested a green force field above their heads just in time to shield them all from the explosion. Jafar, however, was unlucky enough to not only be on the wrong side of the force field but also holding the chest as it exploded and activated the star along with it. Hook looked on in horror as cosmic energy exploded and quite literally ripped Jafar to pieces.

From where Jim, Peter, Sarah, and Silver were standing, they could only watch as a column of cosmic energy burst from the top of Skull Rock and rocketed into the sky. On its current path, Jim expected the star would make its way back to its former place in the sky, but that didn't do anything to alleviate the sinking feeling inside of him.

"Silver, what did you do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lolth, the giant spiders, and phase spiders are all from Dungeons and Dragons. I blatantly ripped off my own Dungeon Master's quest for Doom and Loki's excursion.
> 
> Lord Ombra is adapted from the Peter and the Star Catchers books and from The Phantom boss battle in Kingdom Hearts.


	39. The Other Side of Oblivion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you need to be familiar with "The Other Side of Hollywood (Reprise)" from Julie and the Phantoms.

Hook's eyes were full of rage, disbelief, and desperation as he dashed over to Maleficent and grabbed her by the collar of her cloak. Loki, Doom, Grimhilde, and Riku's eyes widened in shock at the gesture. If there was anything more unheard of than Jafar being destroyed before their eyes, it was anyone thinking it was in any way acceptable to touch Maleficent. Grimhilde and Riku seemed utterly scandalized, Doom looked as if he were already planning Hook's funeral, Loki was clearly excited by the drama unfolding before his eyes, and even Maleficent seemed taken off guard that Hook would dare to grab her in such a manner.

"Bring. Him. Back!" Hook hissed angrily.

Maleficent's eyes darkened and a blast of green fire exploded outwards from her body, throwing Hook off of her and sending him tumbling across the cave floor.

"First things first," Maleficent said with a dark glare. "If you ever grab me like that again, I will bestow upon you a curse that will make you beg for a death that will not come."

Hook picked himself up off the ground and wiped the blood off his chin that was currently dripping from the scrape he'd received from the course stone floor.

"Understood," Hook said, though his rage was still palpable under the surface and the others wondered where that fury would next manifest.

"Secondly," Maleficent continued, "yes, I will resurrect Jafar if I must. But not before I give him the chance to return by his own power. I understand your concern for your lover, but you have forgotten a simple fact that _I_ remember quite vividly: through the powers of darkness, death itself can be undone."

Lord Ombra crossed his arms as he watched this all transpire. It was time to see if the Overtakers were truly worth their reputation.

"This would never have happened if we'd stuck to my original plan!" Hook shouted. "If we'd put the star back where it belonged, I'd still have Jim wrapped around my hook, and JAFAR WOULD STILL BE BLOODY ALIVE!"

"Noted. Would you like me to put that 'I told you so' in writing?" Loki asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Well I _did_ bloody tell you all so!" Hook shouted. "But you lot wanted to do the evil thing instead of the smart thing and we're all suffering because of it!"

"We acted in accordance to our nature," Grimhilde said. "One cannot blame the scorpion for stinging. Your anger is better directed towards the ones who caused your lover's untimely demise."

"Oh rest assured my vengeance on Silver will not be merciful!" Hook swore.

Everyone present began to notice that one of the unconscious Others working for Ombra was beginning to make strange guttural noises. The pirate was kneeling down on the ground, clutching his chest in pain before his body began to crack and bend in unnatural ways as his posture straightened. The pirate seemed to be being yanked up to his feet by some unseen force. His body convulsed as a black ink-like substance spewed out of his mouth.

Maleficent, Grimhilde, Loki, and Ombra watched the familiar process without much of a reaction. Doom understood the process in theory and studied his first chance to observe it transpiring with a scholarly curiosity. Hook and Riku, on the other hand, had no idea what to expect and watched as the pirate continued to vomit up darkness with revulsion.

"What the Bloody Hell is happening?" Hook asked.

"You are getting your wish," Doom answered plainly.

The darkness clung to the pirate's body and piled on top of him until he became an amorphous black blob. The black blob began to take on a shape that was decidedly different from the pirate's body type, and a skinny arm reached up with a sickening crack as if it were snapping into place. A dark silhouette in the shape of Jafar stood up, dripping with black ooze. The only color on his body came from his eyes which were currently glowing a bright shade of red. Hook wasn't sure why Jafar's clothes (including his turban) seemed to be resurrecting with him, but it was certainly preferable to Jafar coming back into this world naked. The darkness seemed to evaporate, and after a few moments, Jafar was standing in front of the other Overtakers in full color once again.

Jafar grimaced, shook his head slightly and placed a hand to his forehead. "Ugh, that ordeal never gets any easier."

"Jafar?" Hook called out. "Can you hear me?"

"Of course I can," Jafar said as he straightened up. "Whatever made you think otherwi-"

But before Jafar could finish his question, he was pulled into a tight bearhug with Hook, who seemed intent on not letting him go. Jafar rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his smile as he patted Hook on the back. He'd had to watch Hook die back on Olympus and that was one of the most difficult moments of his life. He knew Hook was going through something similar with the tables now turned around.

"Uh, does someone want to explain to me what just happened?" Riku asked.

"As I said before, through the darkness, one can restore themselves from the brink of oblivion," Maleficent explained. "What you saw with your own eyes is the process by which that most commonly occurs, barring extenuating circumstances such as one's heart being unlocked by a Keyblade."

Riku turned away from Maleficent and grumbled under his breath, "That wasn't me. It wasn't even the real Riku."

"With a strong enough mastery of the darkness, the physical body becomes irrelevant," Maleficent continued, "The heart and soul can be passed on to the body of any creature sufficiently blighted by the darkness."

"Which is why I brought with me agents of The Others," Lord Ombra said as he glanced over the remaining pirates still sleeping. "A failsafe of sorts in the event the worst somehow befell me."

"A contingency I'm glad you had in place," Jafar said as he finally broke free of the hug. "Now then, shall we proceed towards exacting excruciating revenge upon our enemies?"

"I threw in my lot with your faction because you held the star," Ombra hissed. "You have lost control of it. I trust you have a plan to reacquire it."

Hook sneered. "No. I never want to see that bloody thing again."

"Indeed not," Jafar agreed. "Its power was too great!"

Loki merely laughed. "Too great for _you_ , perhaps. Lord Ombra, my friend, pay no mind to the simple pirate or the mad sorcerer! I shall assist you in tearing the star from the heavens!"

"You'll do no such thing," Maleficent snapped. "As I said before, we do not need the star to achieve our goals. I will not expend further time or effort towards a goal that behooves us not. If you simply desire more power, seek out a less troublesome artifact. There are many throughout the universe."

Loki caught Maleficent making a very pointed gesture towards Ombra with her eyes. He understood immediately. As much as Loki desired the cosmic power of his very own star, they still did not fully understand what Ombra wanted the star for. He'd agreed to ally with them, but he was still an untrustworthy element and an Old One to boot. Seeking out the star with him could ultimately prove detrimental to the Overtakers' cause more than beneficial.

"I suppose you're quite right," Loki admitted. "Perhaps the Lord Ombra can be persuaded to indulge me a different target."

Ombra groaned with frustration. "Very well. I shall leave the star be... for now."

Maleficent opened a Corridor of Darkness back to the Jolly Roger and turned to Jafar and Hook. "Finish your revenge quickly and then return to the ship. We have other matters with which to attend."

* * *

Mozenrath, Wuya, Ayam Aghoul, and Madam Mim intertwined their magical abilities as they barraged the door to Maleficent's vault with a potent counterspell. The protective field around Maleficent's vault was stronger this time than it had been the last time Mozenrath broke into the vault, and that time he'd had the help of Hecate, the Goddess of Magic, and he wasn't stranded in the Netherworld. Never-the-less, with his allies' strength combined and the Overtakers unable to touch him, it was only a matter of time before he was able to break through to the vault and take control of a magical artifact that could free him and his allies from the Netherworld.

"I had thought you'd have broken free by now," Vexen sneered as he looked on. "Or is the great Mozenrath merely another neophyte nipping at the heels of his elders?"

Vexen had joined Mozenrath's team after he was banished to the Netherworld, and it was his knowledge of the former Castle That Never Was that allowed the Sorcerer's Society to infiltrate the Eminence Palace in the first place. Mozenrath found his constant condescension and nagging to be annoying, but Vexen was by far the most useful recruit he'd won over to his side in a while. So Mozenrath tolerated the insubordination. Their other non-magical allies (Roman Torchwick, Archibald Snatcher, Yzma, the Huntsman, Mysterio, Miratrix, and Neopolitan) were sitting around bored whilst the magic users did their part.

"Seriously, Righty," Roman chimed in with a groan. "These phantom pranks I've been able to pull on Sir Shitty Stache have been great, but I'm ready to blow someone up already!"

"This whole process would go a lot faster without you two DISTRACTING ME!" Mozenrath snapped.

"Quite so, m'lord," Snatcher agreed as he straightened Frollo's hat atop his head. "Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue, after all. Why I had to work for ten years back in Cheesebridge to get my white hat! The work paid off, it did! Why I-"

"Died immediately after winning," Mysterio chimed in. "We know. We've all heard the story and its magnificent coup de gras, but perhaps this is the _last_ time we need to reiterate it."

A puff of purple sparks indicated that Caleb Covington had materialized in the room with the other members of the Sorcerer's Society. Yzma was the first to notice him.

"Ah, finally, someone with a sense of fashion!" Yzma purred as she studied his purple ensemble.

Caleb wagged his finger. "Breaking into the vault? Tisk-tisk. Now that's just naughty."

Mozenrath turned around to face Caleb, breaking his concentration on the counterspell (much to Wuya, Mim, Aghoul, and Vexen's frustration).

"You can see us which means you're someone already dead," Mozenrath said with a sneer. "Considering that I'm a necromancer, that spells bad news for you if I don't like what you say next. Now tell me: what is your business here, spirit?"

Caleb threw his head back and laughed. "Necromancy! HA! You think your powers are a match for mine?"

"Well of course they are!" Mozenrath declared. "I single-handedly conquered the Land of the Black sands in my youth! My powers have built a team to rival the Overtakers themselves! And _my_ powers are going to put you under my complete control!"

Caleb held up a single finger. "Hold please."

Caleb cracked his neck and shook out his hands. Then, with a gesture, a wave of energy washed over all twelve members of the Sorcerer's Society. Aghoul flinched but upon realizing that he was still undead sniffed the air suspiciously. A grin crept onto his face.

"We're tangible in the real world now!" Aghoul declared with a laugh. "He's set us free!"

Mozenrath grumbled under his breath. "I could have done that."

"And what is the catch, phantom?" Vexen asked, pushing ahead of the group. "Surely this is no mere act of charity!"

Caleb smirked. "Well, technically, you're all still in the Netherworld. You're just now able to be seen and interacted with in the physical world."

The Huntsman narrowed his eyes and gripped his Huntstaff tightly. "This is no act of charity. It is an act against us!"

"How right you are!" Caleb declared. "Come on out, guys, you get first crack at the infestation!"

Eleven clouds of purple sparks burst behind Caleb, summoning forth the Overtakers. Hades, Ursula, Russell, Fish, Penguin, Riddler, Kieran (in his Ghostface attire), Venom, Amora the Enchantress, Skurge the Executioner, and Pete all manifested behind Caleb.

"Long live the dead!" Caleb taunted before the Overtakers swarmed over their adversaries.

Penguin and Riddler immediately ran towards Roman and Snatcher, two couples engaging in combat. Riddler's cane and Roman's Melodic Cudgel clashed as they fenced against each other, parrying each other's attacks blow for blow. Penguin attempted to shoot Snatcher down with the dust loaded into the gun of his umbrella, but Snatcher had a dancer's talent for pirouetting out of range of all of Penguin's projectiles. Snatcher drew two decorative but bladed fans and fanned them out. He pranced forward and attempted to slice Penguin with the fans, causing Penguin to have to open his umbrella to use as a shield against Snatcher's onslaught.

"An umbrella?" Roman asked as his jaw dropped. "Archie, baby, we need to let Neo kill that one for stealing her shtick!"

"I'm afraid Miss Neopolitan will have to wait," Snatcher huffed as his assault continued to be blocked at every turn. "This upstart shall taste the blades of my fans, he will!"

Penguin deployed the bladed tip of his umbrella and attempted to skewer Snatcher. "Can't say that I'm a _fan_ of that."

Riddler cackled at the pun as he grabbed the cudgel with the hook of his cane and yanked Roman off balance, sending him stumbling into Snatcher.

"We all want one but only when it isn't planned for the fall, what is it?" Riddler asked before answering. "A _trip!_ "

Mysterio and Neo created a veritable mine field of illusions for Kieran and Venom to overcome. But whilst Mysterio hid behind his deceptions, Neo remained out front in the midst of the battle, ready to draw blood. She and Kieran locked blades, and despite Kieran's mask informing him what was really Neo and what was just an illusion, her ability to flip around the battlefield with finesse made her incredibly difficult for Kieran to counter.

"Tricky little thing," Kieran growled. "But even YOU need to see!"

Kieran emitted a localized smokescreen around himself and Neo. His mask's infrared sensor allowed him to see Neo through the smokescreen, and she, on the other hand, was unfortunately caught blind when Kieran snuck up on her and stabbed his dagger into her lower back. If not for her aura, it would have pierced her spine. Venom meanwhile, swiped and sliced at every illusion that moved. He didn't have Spider-Man's amazing spider-sense, but he was intent not to let that stop him.

"They say you're the Wall Crawler's greatest nemesis? HA!" Mysterio taunted. "T'is to laugh! You're nothing more than a savage brute without any of the finesse MYSTERIO possesses!"

"Pray that we never find you, bubble head!" Venom growled as he sliced through another false Mysterio. "For if we do, we shall crack open that fish bowl and devour your brains!"

"How 'bout a little fire, Scarecrow?" Mysterio taunted as he fired off a flame thrower built into his gauntlets.

Venom barely managed to evade the stream of fire, and the close call hurt the symbiote due to its weakness to heat. However, in doing so, Mysterio made a grave mistake: he revealed which Mysterio was the _real_ Mysterio. Venom fired off two web blasts that stuck to Mysterio's hands, barring him from using his gauntlets. Venom then leaped over and grabbed Mysterio, shattering the glass of the helmet with a single punch.

"Eyes, lungs, pancreas, so many snacks, so little time!" Venom mused before slowly licking Quentin Beck's terrified face.

Russell and Pete found themselves matched up against Miratrix and Vexen. Having been taught by Kamdor how to utilize super speed for short amounts of time, Miratrix was the only one capable of holding her own against Russell and his vampiric speed. He cackled as he summoned forth his claws of light, which Miratrix only just barely managed to counter with her blades.

"I liked you better as an owl!" Russell taunted. "You were a tougher opponent."

"Still tough enough to get the best of YOU!" Miratrix snapped as she parried the vampire blow for blow.

Pete, meanwhile, attempted to punch his way through Vexen's shield, but when Vexen began to fire off blasts of blizzard magic, Pete began to run away from them in fear. Pete threw an exploding bowling ball at Vexen, but the former member of Organization XIII deflected the bomb back towards Pete.

"How insulting!" Vexen shouted. "The Overtakers send YOU to fight ME? You have ever been a buffoon whom even one as low as Maleficent did far better without!"

"Now that there's uncalled for, see?" Pete barked back. "Why, I lasted against Sora far longer than you ever did!"

Vexen burned inside over the fact that Pete was, technically, correct. Pete leaped into the air and came down at full force right where Vexen was standing. Vexen's eyes widened, and, unwilling to be crushed under Pete's considerable weight, Vexen dove out of the way and stumbled to the floor. Pete regained his balance long before Vexen could scamper to his feet, and Pete managed to pick up Vexen by the ankle and hoist him up.

Pete chuckled as Vexen wriggled and thrashed. "Eggheads like you should stick to the data-matronics! Ya ain't cut out to go toe to toe with ol' Pete! Russell! Head's up!"

Pete then proceeded to sling Vexen around like a ragdoll and throw him towards where Russell and Miratrix were fighting. Russell heard Pete's warning and smirked devilishly. He quickly upped his speed to kick Miratrix's swords out of her hands and flew up to catch Vexen. Taking Vexen by the ankle as well, Russell proceeded to turn Vexen into his new weapon to use against Miratrix. Treating him like a mallet, Russell slammed Vexen's body into Miratrix, smashing them both into the ground and knocking them both unconscious.

"Sleep it off," Russell said with a grin.

Mim and the Huntsman both rushed to aid Mozenrath against Caleb Covington, but the two quickly found their path blocked by Amora and Skurge.

"You! You were the mortal fool who dared to cast her putrid spell upon my face!" Amora said with a sneer as she faced down Mim.

"Guilty as charged!" Mim said with a cackle as she curtsied. "You looked far better with the acne! Much less of a pretty pampered princess!"

"Your head shall be taken for daring to harm the Enchantress's beauty!" Skurge bellowed.

"You may attempt to slay the Mad Madam," the Huntsman threatened. "But the only head that shall be mounted on the wall is yours!"

"Oh come now," Amora cooed at the Huntsman as she activated her charm powers. "Surely a strapping man such as yourself would love to serve me in destroying the old witch."

The Huntsman turned the blade of his Huntstaff towards Amora. "Your wiles will not work on me. I have no interest in women."

"Then you can die as well," Amora said, prompting Skurge to run towards the Hunstman with his axe drawn.

Skurge and the Huntsman became locked in combat, slicing and dodging and clashing blades, each able to match the other move for move. Amora and Mim, meanwhile, engaged in a magical duel. Hexes and bolts of energy flew left and right as the two sorceresses clashed. As Mim attempted to transfigure Amora into stone, Amora cast a reflection spell and redirected Mim's hex directly into the Huntsman, petrifying him mid-battle.

"I HATE YOU!" Mim shrieked. "I hate, hate, HATE you! I hate you almost as much as I hate horrible wholesome sunshine!"

That gave Amora a terrible idea. The Enchantress grinned wickedly as she summoned a beam of sunlight to shine on Mim. The old witch shrieked and tried to hide her face behind her hair, which unfortunately meant that she didn't see Skurge's axe glowing with magic and unleashing a wall of ice that quickly engulfed Mim, rendering her a pink and purple smudge inside a block of ice.

Aghoul attempted to slip off over towards Amora, but a wall of fire burst from the ground and fenced him in. Hades stepped through the flames without being harmed, and his fists radiated fire.

"I still owe you a world of pain for what you tried to do to Maleficent," Hades said with a sadistic grin.

"To be fair, I didn't know she already belonged to you at the time," Aghoul said.

"She _doesn't_ belong to me!" Hades snapped. "She belongs to herself! And I'm gonna sear that lesson into ya if I have to."

Aghoul laughed awkwardly. "Now, now, let's not be hasty."

He barely avoided taking a fireball to the face, and so Aghoul did the only thing he could do under the circumstances: he _ran_.

"GET BACK HERE YA LITTLE CREEP!" Hades bellowed as he stormed after him.

Fish Mooney dodged the wild swinging of Yzma's purple glittery warhammer as she attempted to find any opening to strike back. She and Yzma both were equally disadvantaged by the high heels they were wearing, and if Yzma weren't currently trying to smash her with a hammer, Fish might have actually complimented the elderly villainess on her taste in shoes.

"Surrender now and I'll SMASH YOU FLAT!" Yzma hissed at Fish.

"Honey, I think you meant 'or'," Fish retorted.

"Not this time!" Yzma said with a demented grin. "I'm going to smash you flat either way!"

Ursula, meanwhile, was locked in a magical dual with Wuya, mowing down Wuya's army of rock soldiers with blasts from the trident and countering the various hexes Wuya threw her way.

"Ugh, why is it always redheads who give me the most trouble?" Ursula asked as she incinerated twelve more of Wuya's rock soldiers only to have thirteen more pop up in their place.

"Because girls with red hair have to learn how to have style," Wuya said as she flipped her hair back, "and you clearly left your sense of style in the ocean."

Ursula gasped with rage. Her sense of style had been slandered. That meant war. With a scream of rage, Ursula spun around with the trident, demolishing every single rock soldier in one go. She then locked her eyes on Wuya and flew in her direction. Wuya lifted her hands above her head, unleashing streams of green fire that snaked towards Ursula as the sea witch approached. Ursula called upon geysers of water to erupt from the ground to put out the flames. Wuya gritted her teeth in frustration and began to telekinetically throw the rocky remains of her rock soldiers at Ursula, but the sea witch managed to evade the boulders.

"You pitiful insignificant fool!" Ursula growled as a twisted look crept into her eyes.

Wuya did the only thing she knew to do at this point: she conjured a brand new sports car to fall on top of Ursula. Ursula, however, refused to let even that stop her and blasted the falling automobile off course with her trident. Meanwhile, Fish Mooney was about to finally get a clean shot in on Yzma when suddenly she turned and ran in the opposite direction.

"That's right, you'd better run!" Yzma taunted with a cackle.

It was then, at that moment, that Yzma was hit by a flying car, and not gently either. Wuya gasped in horror as she saw what she had done, and that moment of hesitation was all Ursula needed to blast Wuya with the full force of the trident, sending the Heylin Witch hurtling through a wall.

Caleb Covington flashed Mozenrath a debonair smile as their allies clashed. "Don't suppose you like to dance?"

Mozenrath gritted his teeth in frustration. "I will make you BURN!"

Mozenrath charged up his gauntlet with magic, and Caleb just barely managed to teleport away from the glyph manifesting under his feet. Caleb scowled at how close of a call that had been. The glyph forming under him was a soul mark, a necromancer's tool for taking control of a dead spirit. Another second and Mozenrath would have had him under his spell.

"And here I thought we could be friends," Caleb teased as he manifested a few feet away.

Caleb teleported away before Mozenrath could complete a second soul mark.

"Hold STILL!" Mozenrath shouted.

"Actually, I think _you_ should move _your_ body!" Caleb said with a smirk. " _HIT IT!_ "

Swinging jazz music began to play from regions beyond, and Caleb began to dance around the battlefield away from Mozenrath's various spells. His scatting along with the music only aggravated Mozenrath more.

" _Watch me make a move, watch me make a move, yeah!_ " Caleb sang as he danced out of the way of another soul mark.

" _What'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do?_ " ethereal voices began to join in.

" _Watch me make a move, watch me make a move, oh!_ " Caleb continued as his jazz square allowed him to step right out of the direction of the plasma bolt Mozenrath unleashed.

" _What'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do?_ " the voices asked, more eagerly this time.

" _Watch me make a move, watch me make a move, YEAH!_ " Caleb belted as he appeared next to Mozenrath and quickly vanished before the sorcerer could strike him.

" _What'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do?_ " the voices repeated.

" _Watch me make a move, best you ever knew!_ " Caleb sang as he effortlessly danced between several of the other clashes, making him impossible for Mozenrath to safely hit. " _HEYYYYYYYY! Yeah!_ "

Mozenrath suddenly felt his feet begin to tap against his will, try though he might to resist. Unfortunately for Mozenrath, though he and his allies were physical, they were still tethered to the Netherworld, and Caleb had no need of soul marks to make restless spirits join in his musical extravaganzas. Before Mozenrath could fully protest his tapping foot, he became sucked into an elaborately choreographed dance that he had no idea how he knew the moves to.

" _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ " Caleb belted as he danced along with Mozenrath. " _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ "

Caleb threw up his hand and teleported all eleven of Mozenrath's allies to join in with their leader. By the next line in the song, the entire Sorcerer's Society had become Caleb's back up dancers. The other Overtakers watched the proceedings with great interest.

" _So welcome to the brotherhood where you won't be misunderstood!_ " Caleb said smugly as he smirked at the helpless Sorcerer's Society. " _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ "

An extensive instrumental section of the song began, and the Sorcerer's Society began to perform daring flips and spins. Snatcher was thoroughly enjoying himself, but he did wish he actually had control of his movements in this wild dance. Caleb waved over the other Overtakers.

"Come on, join in!" Caleb beckoned. "They're all _dying_ to dance with you."

The Overtakers shrugged, but one by one, they all joined in and began to dance with their unwilling partners.

" _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ " Caleb continued as he extended his arms dramatically over the wild dance. " _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ "

" _So welcome to the brotherhood where you won't be misunderstood!_ " all twelve of the present Overtakers sang together in unison. " _Life is good on the other side of Hollywood!_ "

" _Of Hollywood!_ " Caleb repeated as he caused the Sorcerer's Society to spin out separate from the Overtaker crowd. " _OF HOLLYWOOOOOD!_ "

Hades smirked and opened up a portal leading straight into the River Styx. Mozenrath's eyes widened as he attempted to dance away from it, to no avail.

"Ain't it somethin'?" Caleb asked with a wink as he sent the Sorcerer's Society through the portal.

The portal closed right as the Overtakers' enemies splashed into the sickly green waters. Caleb took a bow as his new teammates applauded his work.

Oh yes, this arrangement was going to work out quite well for Caleb Covington.

* * *

"I can hardly believe you intended to let this flea bag back into our ranks," Cruella sneered as she looked over Scar. "After all his cowardice cost us!"

Scar growled at her but said nothing. It wasn't as if he wanted to be dragged by the Overtakers to the Museum of the Weird, but he'd been thoroughly unable to make any other choice. Ardyn and Blackheart weren't overly concerned with Cruella's concerns anyway. They were far too busy setting up the three pieces of the Living Room. Hans, Demyx, the Green Goblin, and NOS-4-A2 simply observed from off to the side, not really caring one way or the other.

"We have the pieces in place," the Goblin pointed out. "Shouldn't they be summoning that servant for us?"

"Rituals of this sort often require a sacrifice to ignite," Ardyn explained. "Pain, death, the usual sort of things."

"I suppose Scar is the obvious one to murder unless someone else wants to volunteer," Blackheart said with a devilish grin.

Scar's eyes widened, and his hands began to glow with dark magic. "I invite you to try!"

Blackheart's expression darkened. "I was merely joking, but if you wish to repeat that challenge, I can act upon my threat just as easily."

Scar smiled awkwardly and backed away. "Why, couldn't you tell? I too was merely joking!"

"That's what I thought," Blackheart said.

"Can we get back on topic with the sacrifice?" the Goblin asked. "Because if I need to start killing the moron contingent, I'm happy to oblige."

"Did you see what I did to Xemnas?" Demyx asked once he realized the Goblin was talking about him and Hans. "I can do the same thing to you, Underdrome Champion or not."

"That won't be necessary," Ardyn interjected. "I absorbed many lives and much pain over the years. My powers alone should sufficiently activate the Living Room."

Ardyn's hand began to glow with dark energy, and he released three streaks of darkness that struck the armchair, the coffee table, and the sofa. Temporal energy surged and swirl and deposited next to the Living Room a large grandfather clock in the shape of a coffin... or perhaps a coffin decorated as a grandfather clock. A skull with boney hands was situated in the center of the clock, and the clock's pendulum was a razor sharp axe.

"Umm... darling? Did you do the spell properly?" Cruella asked.

"I'm no expert on magic, but I do believe we've been had," NOS-4-A2 said with a sneer.

"Could the House Guest be inside the coffin?" Hans suggested.

Blackheart shook his head as he examined the Coffin Clock. "No... this is something else... something older and more powerful. It's-"

"Ours!" Saïx declared as he and Xemnas emerged from a Corridor of Darkness.

With a swing of his claymore, Saïx blew the Overtakers away from the Coffin Clock off to one side of the room.

"GUARD!" Xemnas bellowed as he summoned a salmon-colored force field walling the Overtakers away from him and the Coffin Clock.

"Oh, wonderful, the husks are back," Cruella remarked with disdain.

"You have my thanks for assembling the Living Room for us," Xemnas said with a grin. "You allowed us the time to acquire the keys to the _Casket of Eternal Nothingness_."

Saïx smugly held up a matching pair of keys and promptly stuck them into the eye-holes of the skull on the face of the clock. The skull's mouth opened and the clock began to tick.

"Casket of Eternal Nothingness? That sounds fake, but okay," Blackheart quipped.

"Upon the stroke of midnight, nothingness shall spread across this universe!" Xemnas boasted. "All that is will not be, and I shall become the master of the void!"

"So Xemnas was playing us all from the beginning?" Demyx asked. "So not cool!"

"Well, not exactly," Imshael remarked as he and Red manifested in the room.

"You two!" Blackheart hissed. "You're the ones who sent us on this wild goose chase in the first place."

"Guilty as charged!" Red said with a laugh. "We also sent these two imbeciles on the same quest."

Red leather straps that resembled collars manifested from thin air and bound Xemnas and Saïx together, unable to break free.

"What treachery is THIS?" Xemnas bellowed.

"Isn't it obvious by now, Xem?" Imshael asked. "We needed the Overtakers to assemble the Living Room, and we needed you and your blue-haired friend to acquire the keys."

"Ah, I see it clearly now," Ardyn remarked with a smirk. "The boon from this ritual was neither the creation of a golem nor was it a Casket of Eternal Nothingness. You merely dangled a false carrot in front of both of our eyes, knowing that neither party would acquire the pieces necessary if they knew of your true objective. I'm almost impressed."

"You all made such interesting choices," Imshael remarked. "But the Coffin Clock is truly the prison of one of the Great Old Ones, the greatest of all the reapers, The Reaper King! A fun friend of ours responsible for the Black Death and similar atrocities. And now because of him, all of your times are up!"

The clock struck twelve and chimed loudly, sending a chill down every spine.

"Why did you drag me back into this mess, again?" Scar asked Ardyn angrily.

"I had thought we could make amends, but evidently we're all simply going to die at the hands of a Great Old One," Ardyn mused. "How disappointing."

The mouth of the skull on the clock opened, and a smoking blackness poured from its maw, taking the form of a smoke-like skeleton with glowing orange eyes. The Reaper King was free once more.

"When you cannot rely on disciples to get the job done in a timely manner," the Reaper King bellowed as he stretched his arms, "you can always count on family."

Red laughed triumphantly. "It feels so GOOD to have you back!"

The Overtakers attempted to call upon the Corridors of Darkness to make a tactical retreat, but the Reaper King's powers blocked them from escaping.

"Not so fast!" the Reaper King bellowed. "I think for my first act with my freedom restored at last will be to reap these mortal souls!"

Blackheart and Ardyn stood ready to fight, but they were the only ones. The Reaper King unleashed his ghostly tendrils upon the Overtakers, and, suddenly, everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Reaper King is from Disney's Seekers of the Weird comics.


	40. What Goes Around Comes Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter, you should be familiar with "What Goes Around Comes Around (Reprise)" from The Villains Lair.

Cruella stumbled across the sandy desolate plains littered with what appeared to be the ruins of a battle fought long ago. Blackheart, Ardyn, Hans, Demyx, the Green Goblin, NOS-4-A2, and Scar were also coming to and converging upon the same spot.

"Ugh, is this what Hell looks like?" Cruella asked as she dusted sand off of her fur.

"If we were in Hell, you'd know it," Blackheart said with a sneer. "This place is the Dimension of Wandering Souls."

"Such a cheerful title," Ardyn remarked as he shook the sand off of his hat. "Do you think the Reaper King sent us here intentionally?"

"He definitely  _ said _ he wanted us dead," Demyx pointed out.

"I've died before," the Goblin reminded everyone. "Definitely didn't feel like that."

"Also, I am a robot," NOS-4-A2 pointed out. "Were the rest of you dead, you wouldn't have me here to keep you company."

"Gobby and NOS are right," Blackheart said. "We're clearly not dead, and this dimension wouldn't be where we'd wind up if we were. We were  _ sent _ here."

"And I doubt it was by the Reaper King who explicitly said he wanted us dead," Ardyn added. "I've known gods with wavering whims, but that seems quite fickle to me in a manner in which the Old Ones were not known for being."

Scar held out a hand and opened up a Corridor of Darkness. "Hmm, it seems the dark corridors answer to us in this realm. We can return to the Overtaken Kingdom whenever we'd like."

"So someone saved our lives by sending us here," Hans put together. "But who?"

"So glad you asked!" a smug voice declared as he stepped into view.

Hans, the Goblin, NOS-4-A2, and Scar had no idea who this newcomer was, but Blackheart, Ardyn, Cruella, and Demyx knew this mummy-like man quite well.

"Imperious, darling!" Cruella said with a smirk. "I see the reports of your demise were greatly exaggerated!"

"Well you know how these things go," Imperious remarked. "You die, you return, you die again only to return once more!"

"Who is he, again?" Hans leaned in and whispered to Demyx.

"That's Imperious," Demyx answered. "The Sanderson Sisters resurrected him by mistake back when Steve was in charge of the Overtakers. He was on the team until he betrayed us and got axed."

"A tale that has been  _ horribly _ misconstrued!" Imperious said with a scoff. "I never betrayed the Overtakers! I simply blackmailed the  _ real _ traitor, Steve Newlin, and he took it upon himself to have me killed so that he could spread dreadful lies about me! Though I must congratulate him for his skill in treachery. I truly did not think him capable of such effective deceit."

"Your dishonesty and treacherous nature are well known, Imperious," Ardyn pointed out. "Whyever should we believe a word you're saying?"

"Ignoring the fact that I saved all your lives from the Reaper King when I could have let you perish?" Imperious asked. "The Great Old Ones are a threat to existence itself, and we just saw  _ three _ of them in the Museum of the Weird. There will be more, and we need all the powerful villains we can get under one banner. And I will also point out that only  _ I  _ have substantial experience working with Old Ones. Is that reason compelling enough for you?"

Blackheart shrugged. "He has a good point. And besides, who  _ hasn't _ betrayed their best friends at least once?"

Hans started to raise his hand, but Cruella shot him a glare.

"Darling, don't lie. It's hardly worth it, and we don't believe you anyway," Cruella barked.

Hans put his hand back down.

"I suppose we're allowing Scar back into the fold, and we already permitted Demyx to return," Ardyn remarked. "We can put in a good word for you, Imperious."

Imperious laughed triumphantly. "Thank you, my friends!"

"Oh, but know this," Ardyn warned. "If you betray us this time, I shall make whatever paltry defeat Newlin granted you appear merciful. Remember that."

Imperious bowed his head. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"

* * *

Jim, Sarah, and Silver ran through the jungles of Neverland with Peter Pan flying with them overhead. With what Silver did to the Overtakers, they knew they didn't have much time. They had to make it to Pixie Hollow if they wanted to survive the night. The ground beneath the runners suddenly exploded under their feet, sending Jim, Sarah, and Silver tumbling to the ground as Jafar's wicked laugh echoed around the jungle. Peter turned around to help them, but Hook had already spotted the flying boy.

"Dark slice!" Hook called out as he swung his sword through empty air, sending a dark shockwave of energy hurtling towards Peter.

Peter attempted to evade the spell, but the darkness struck him before he could fly clear of it. He was sent tumbling to the ground with his allies. Hook and Jafar both made their presence known as they towered over the fallen heroes.

"I let you live, and this is how you repay my good form?" Hook asked with a sneer.

"Here now," Silver said as he staggered to his feet. "The explosion was all my doin'. If ye've a need for someone to punish for it, it shoulds be me. Let Jim, Sarah, and Peter go free. I won't fights ye."

"Silver, NO!" Jim argued.

" _ Now _ you want to show honor?" Hook asked with a scoff.

"Oh but I'm afraid that won't be possible," Jafar declared. "You see, you love these fools, and thus your punishment will be to watch them die!"

"Hook, please, we're family," Jim said. "Don't do this."

"Perhaps you should've thought of that before you allowed your surrogate father to attempt to destroy us," Hook sneered. "The time for making deals is done. Just as I'm done... with  _ you! _ "

The eyes of Jafar's snake staff were glowing reading, and Hook's sword radiated darkness. The two spelled certain death for Jim and his friends, no matter how valiantly they fought. They were in no way prepared for wielders of darkness of this caliber. Suddenly a light descended from up above, crashing into the ground between Jim and the Overtakers. A wave of light blasted Jafar and Hook backwards, sending them tumbling into the brush. When the light cleared, Mickey was standing triumphantly. To either side of him stood Donald and Goofy, staff and shield at the ready.

"The King and his pathetic lackeys!" Jafar remarked with a scoff. "Your timing is impeccable as always."

"The stars told me about what happened!" Mickey said. "I'm glad I got here in time to help!"

"The stars told you?" Hook asked with a scowl. "What the Bloody Hell is that supposed to mean?"

"The stars see and hear more than ya think!" Mickey declared. "Why, gosh, they're just as smart and talkative as we are! If ya know how to listen to 'em like Yen Sid taught me how to do."

"Fascinating, but I care little for communicating with celestial light," Jafar sneered. "The very stars align to MY design!"

"Ah, well, you're just a big ol' bully!" Goofy declared. "You think that somethin' only has value if it does what ya tell it to! But power sure ain't everything!"

"Yeah!" Donald agreed.

"Your naivety is simply unbearable," Hook sneered. "Now step aside and leave us to our vengeance!"

"No way!" Mickey, Donald, and Goofy shouted in unison.

Jafar fired a bolt of red energy at the heroes, prompting them all to scatter to avoid the blast of energy. Jim quickly ushered Sarah to safety, whilst Peter and Silver tucked behind cover and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy charged forward against the two villains. Mickey leaped right into action against Jafar, summoning up his Keyblade and swinging it at him. Jafar was struck and stumbled backwards as Donald and Goofy went after Hook. Hook attempted to strike Goofy with his sword, but Goofy caught the attack with his shield and pushed him off. Donald swung his staff at Hook, but the pirate quickly parried the blow with his blade.

"I am in no mood for this today, rat!" Jafar hissed at Mickey.

"That's Mickey  _ Mouse! _ " he replied as he furrowed his brow.

"Ah but don't forget that snakes  _ eat _ mice!" Jafar declared as he summoned up a pair of giant snakes made completely out of crimson energy.

The spectral vipers slithered through the air towards Mickey, but Mickey sliced off both of their heads with his Keyblade before they could strike. Jafar scowled in frustration and rapidly began to fire off blasts of magic at Mickey. Mickey flipped and leaped out of the way of each blast, allowing Jafar's blasts to collide harmlessly with the ground, creating several small explosions.

Hook, meanwhile, kicked Goofy to the ground after Goofy came in for an attack with his shield. Peter Pan swooped down towards Hook, attempting to strike at him with his dagger. Hook parried the blow and grabbed Peter by the shirt with his hook, tossing the flying boy aside into the dirt with a growl.

"Blizzard!" Donald called out, unleashing a wintery blast upon Hook.

Hook called forth a wall of dark energy to block the blast, and while the darkness burnt away the spell, putting it in place distracted Hook from Peter Pan swooping in once again and slicing Hook with his dagger across the shoulder, leaving a crimson gash. Hook cried out in pain and began to rapidly fire off blasts of darkness at Peter that the flying boy managed to stay just ahead of each time.

"Here now, Hook!" Silver called out as his cyborg arm transfigured into an arm cannon.

Silver unleashed a heavy-duty plasma blast on Hook. Hook attempted to block the blast with another dark barrier, but the blast was only weakened by smashing through the barrier. It struck Hook square in the chest, giving him a painful burn and knocking him onto his back.

"Time for a grand finale!" Jafar proclaimed as he raised his arms over his head, causing pillars of fire to burst from the ground around Mickey, but the little king managed to evade them skillfully.

"Hey Jafar!" a voice called out.

Jafar whirled around just in time to see Jim firing his laser pistol. The blast struck Jafar in the stomach, disorienting the sorcerer. Mickey jumped up and drew his Keyblade, and before Jafar realized what was happening, Mickey brought the blade down on Jafar, slicing him from collar bone to naval. Jafar staggered backwards and clutched his chest in pain.

"I won't be sticking around to meet a second obliteration today!" Jafar sneered as he vanished into a Corridor of Darkness.

Hook staggered to his feet and angled his sword towards his four assailants, but upon realizing that Jafar had already fled and now Mickey and Jim were turning their attention on him, Hook vanished into his own Corridor of Darkness.

"I'll have my vengeance another time!" Hook swore as he disappeared into the darkness.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy dismissed their weapons and turned to face Jim, Peter, and Silver.

"Is everyone okay?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Jim said with a nod as he looked over his two friends. "Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome, pal!" Mickey said with a smile.

"Hey! Donald! Goofy! Good to see you guys again!" Peter said as he landed next to Jim.

"H'yuck, it's good to see ya again too!" Goofy said with a grin.

"Ye know these strange fellows?" Silver asked Peter.

Peter nodded. "Sure do! Donald and Goofy helped me fight the other Hook and Lord Ombra years ago! Hang on... where's Sora?"

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's faces fell and their shoulders slumped.

"It's a long story," Mickey said. "We've got a lot to fill ya in on. Let's go some place safe that's not out in the open in case the Overtakers come back. We'll talk more there!"

* * *

Jafar and Hook stumbled back on the deck of the Jolly Roger as they exited their Corridors of Darkness. Maleficent, Ombra, Loki, Doom, and Grimhilde were standing out, waiting for their return. Lord Ombra's eyes weren't able to be seen under his hood, but if they were, they'd have been filled with judgment and disdain. Loki and Doom's eyes, however, displayed their judgment openly, albeit their condescending glances were tempered by a twinge of genuine concern for their friends.

"What happened?" Maleficent asked, her expression unreadable.

"Zaba kabudabra," Jafar chanted as he cast a healing spell over himself and Hook.

"It was the mouse king and his anthropomorphic allies," Hook said through gritted teeth. "They denied me my vengeance."

"And mine as well," Jafar hissed.

Maleficent placed a finger to her chin. "That is indeed most unfortunate news. The King's interference does not bode well for our continued presence on this world."

"The great Overtakers fear a king?" Ombra asked with a scoff. "How pathetic."

"One should always fear those with a crown and the power to enforce it," Grimhilde warned as she gestured to the crown atop her head. "And King Mickey can defend his crown with a Keyblade and the powers of the Sorcerer's Hat. He is currently the single most powerful hero of light known to us."

"He will fall one day," Maleficent promised Ombra, "but we are ill prepared to face him. To defeat the wretched king and his pitiful lackeys, we shall need a cunning plan with a bit more finesse. I propose we return to the Eminence Palace and regroup. We need not be hasty in our pursuit of revenge. After all, good things come to those who wait."

"Perhaps not in all regards, your excellency," Clotho warned as she, Lachesis, and Atropos emerged from below deck.

Maleficent narrowed her eyes. "Speak."

"Observe," Atropos said as she pulled the shared eye from her socket and allowed it to float above the three Fates.

The eye showed an image of Princess Audrey, or, rather, the bodiless magenta cloak that was left of the dark princess after having cast her body aside to venture into the time stream. Seams of temporal energy were snapping apart around her. Audrey continued to use her magic to reconnect the snapping threads, causing them to glow with magenta light. However, every time she would repair one thread, another would snap. She struggled and conjured in a desperate attempt to hold the time stream together. However, with the Gems of Cronus gone and the Tapestry of Fate unraveled, she was fighting a losing battle. Eventually they all snapped at once.

Time began to unwind, Audrey was flung back to the Enchanted Dominion, and time began to spin in reverse. Audrey's corruption came undone, then her entire life that Maleficent had accelerated with the Gems of Cronus followed until Audrey and everyone on the Enchanted Dominion was returned to the day before the time stream was altered: the day of Audrey's Christening. Maleficent's eyes widened and her lips pursed in rage as she realized her vengeance upon Aurora and Phillip had been unraveled.

"This is happening now?" Maleficent asked.

"Yes," the Fates said in unison as they nodded.

"This cannot stand!" Maleficent bellowed as she twirled around her cloak and stormed away from the Eye of the Fates. "You three!"

Maleficent whirled around and pointed at the Fates.

"Come with me!" Maleficent ordered. "The rest of you return to the castle. I have a personal matter to resolve!"

Maleficent vanished into a Corridor of Darkness, and the Fates quickly followed after her.

* * *

In a far away land known as the Enchanted Dominion lived King Phillip and his fair Queen Aurora. Years ago, the king met his queen once upon a dream and woke her from a terrible curse. The two loved each other at once, and they lived happily ever after. A daughter was born, and they called her Audrey. Yes, they bestowed upon her a name meaning "noble strength" in hopes that she might one day embody that strength to her subjects. A great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom so that all of high or low estate might pay homage to the infant princess. And our story begins on that most joyful day...

Aurora brushed a stray strand of golden hair back into place as she smiled at her subjects. The pageantry of royalty was hardly her area of expertise, having been raised as a peasant girl for years in the woods by her three aunts. Phillip was the one raised as royalty, and he had a princely air about him that exuded leadership. She deferred to him in matters of court more often than not, but both her husband and her closest friends assured her that she had a natural radiance and charm that made her more beloved by the kingdom than Phillip could ever hope to be. She hoped that was true, and on this day more than any other, she hoped that Audrey would incarnate the best of both her and Phillip and that hope brought her great comfort. Her only regret was that Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather were off world on this momentous day.

"You look beautiful," Phillip whispered to Aurora as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"And you're as handsome as ever," Aurora whispered back.

The king and queen took their seats, and the heads of the noble houses gathered in the audience chamber of the castle and bestowed upon the infant princess wonderful gifts. As Aurora glanced over at the growing pile of toys, gold, and fine clothes to wear, Aurora felt a lightness in her heart that her daughter would want for nothing. Yet something about that thought troubled her. She felt an odd premonition that her daughter might be spoiled by all this wealth. Aurora cast those thoughts aside. She would ensure that Audrey would grow up knowing that love was the most important thing. She was sure that nothing would stop her from loving her child. Yet had she thought back to her own mother's loss, perhaps she wouldn't have had such certainty.

The palace doors swung open as if pushed apart by a great wind. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed, frightening the guests and causing them to move away from the center of the room. Aurora was uncertain as to what was happening, but Phillip remembered well that fateful day when he was just a young boy when she'd first laid her curse. He drew his sword and stepped out in front of Aurora and Audrey defensively. A flurry of green flames burned in the center of the room, and from the fires, Maleficent manifested.

"What do you want, witch?" Phillip asked. "You'll not take Aurora again or my daughter!"

Maleficent scoffed at that. "You think to deny me my revenge? How quaint! But you have no power over me, and there are forces at work beyond your simple scope of influence."

Aurora heard a noise behind her and quickly turned around, intending to grab up her daughter before Maleficent could harm her. However, when she turned around, she saw her child in Lachesis's boney arms and Clotho and Atropos cooing over the baby.

"Such a sweet child," Lachesis said with a laugh.

"A bouncing baby brat!" Clotho added.

Aurora gasped in horror and Phillip whirled around and pointed his sword at the Fates.

"Surrender that baby," Phillip ordered, "or I shall-"

"Rethink your decision, your highness," Atropos warned as she held up her jagged scissors to Audrey's face.

"Call off your hags, Maleficent!" Phillip ordered as he turned back around to face his enemy. "I'm the one who defeated you last time! It's me you want, not my daughter!"

"Presumptuous as ever, King Phillip," Maleficent sneered. "Whyever would I want you? You may think this was the first life you lived, but, as I said, there are greater forces at work. Your daughter belongs to the darkness, and thus she is mine to take! You cannot change this for it has already been done!"

"Maleficent, please, from woman to woman," Aurora pleaded without ever taking her eyes off the Fates or her daughter. "Don't take my daughter from me. Ask of me whatever you wish. If it is within my power to give, you shall have it as long as you leave Audrey with Phillip and me."

Maleficent cackled wickedly at that. "You poor simple fool! What could you possibly offer that I cannot simply take for myself? I have come to inflict pain upon you, and your pain is all I desire. Take the child!"

The Fates cackled as they vanished in a blink of an eye (a magic, all-seeing eye) with the baby in tow. Aurora gasped and began to sob as her baby was taken from her. Phillip clenched his teeth in rage and charged towards Maleficent with his sword drawn. Maleficent, however, simply knocked him aside with a blast of green fire.

"Fools! Your pain has only just begun!" Maleficent swore. "Taking the child was simply my reclaiming what was mine by right. Your true punishment is yet to come!"

Phillip staggered back to his feet, and Aurora looked up from her crying as Maleficent's magic began to tussle the banners about and music began to play from regions beyond.

"I leave you, Aurora, with my last curse!" Maleficent swore. "The curse of loneliness! You shall wither as a wilted rose, and when you fall into unending despair, I shall claim your precious light once and for all."

Phillip held Aurora close, and she sobbed into his shoulder. Maleficent grinned with sinister intent. Together, Aurora and Phillip possessed true love, and though the loss of their daughter was a wound that would never truly heal, to lose the very shoulder she cried upon when she needed it most would be more than Aurora could bear. As Maleficent prepared her curse, she felt compelled to do something she rarely deemed relevant: she sang.

" _ I've waited for years to have this moment! _ " Maleficent belted out. " _ I've thought of the ways I'd make you pay! _ "

Darkness fell upon the entire audience chamber as the doors slammed shut and green flames replaced the fires in all the torches and candles.

" _ The tables have turned, the lesson is learned, _ " Maleficent continued to sing. " _ Now I hold the key! For only a fool underestimates me! _ "

A sickly green mist began to fill the ballroom, and though the various guests attempted to run clear of it, they could not escape the dark spell.

" _ An eye for an eye! _ " Maleficent sang. " _ A wrong for a wrong! _ "

Aurora gasped in horror as she realized that the mist was turning her subjects, her friends, and her family all to stone, a fate that Merryweather once inflicted upon Maleficent's raven Diablo. To the evil fairy, this was simply poetic justice.

" _ Never forgive, never forget, _ " Maleficent warned. " _ This is your last regret! _ "

Aurora could feel Phillip growing colder beside her, and despite her desperate cries and protests, soon even King Phillip was nothing more than a statue amongst a gallery of statues.

" _ What goes around, _ " Maleficent crescendoed. " _ Comes AROUND! _ "

Aurora sunk to her knees and sobbed as she realized the meaning behind Maleficent's spell. She was truly alone now with no one to share in her grief. With her diabolical curse cast, Maleficent laughed evilly and vanished in a flurry of flames.

And soon the only sounds in the castle were the echoes of Aurora's sobs and Maleficent's laughter.


	41. A Moment of Respite

Hook finished off the rum he was drinking and slid the empty glass across the counter towards Claude the Cauldron-Born. Hook was currently sitting alone at the bar in the House of Villains, drinking away everything that went down on Neverland, hoping that eventually he could reach the sweet spot where he was drunk enough not to care about anything for the rest of the night.

"Another round," Hook ordered.

Claude put his hands on his hips, and if he had eyeballs or flesh on his face, he would have been giving Hook an expression of pure unadulterated judgment.

"Just refill my bloody glass, dammit!" Hook snapped before rubbing his eyes and sighing. "I never have to endure such condescension when I drink on my ship."

"Save your breath, darling," Cruella said as she pulled up a barstool next to Hook. "Maleficent made that one, and he's just as much of a stickler as she is."

Claude threw his hands up into the air and shook his head as he vanished into the kitchen. Cruella leaned over the counter and reached down underneath it to grab one of the bottles of gin tucked beneath the bar. She slid back into her seat, uncorked the bottle with her teeth, and poured herself a tall glass of gin.

"So what are we drinking over today, Hook?" Cruella asked as she took a sip of her gin. "Your stubbly face is looking more brooding than usual."

Hook groaned and took the gin bottle away from Cruella so that he could pour himself a glass. "Let's not talk. Let's just  _ drink _ ."

Cruella shrugged. "Fine by me. Cheers!"

Cruella clanked her glass against Hook's and took a swig. She then proceeded to pull out her phone and began to flip through her music library, scrolling past song after song after song.

"What are you doing?" Hook asked.

"Darling, I deplore silence!" Cruella said as she finally chose a song. "If we're just going to drink and not talk, we need background music."

The song Cruella put on was a jaunty disco tune about a woman wanting her lover to "kill the lights" and get passionate with her. It wasn't exactly Hook's brand of music, but the more gin he drank, the more he got into the groove and started bobbing his head.

"Why does this song paint a vivid picture of a psychotic woman attempting to seduce her lover but succeeding only in terrifying him?" Hook asked with a laugh.

"Because you're deranged and dating a sociopath," Cruella answered with a laugh. "You know you love it!"

"I must admit it to be catchy," Hook agreed. "Not quite to my tastes, but certainly quite dance worthy."

Cruella snickered. "Then let's get you out of your head and into your body darling."

Cruella took Hook's hand and pulled him up from the barstool despite his protests. Cruella began to dance and twirl and pose dramatically, and Hook couldn't deny that it looked fun. He took another sip of gin for the confidence and began to join her, dancing and humming along to the song. All thoughts of the mission's unfortunate turns melted away, and he just allowed himself to have fun.

" _ Kill the lights and look right at me! _ " Cruella sang along with her phone. " _ Close your eyes, you can see me by the way that I feel! _ "

Cruella then began to twerk up against Hook, which would have been awkward if she was any good at it, but all it accomplished was causing her fluffy fur coat to bounce in every direction. Hook let out a genuine laugh and couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Finally the song ended and beads of sweat had soaked both Hook and Cruella's brows. They collapsed back into their barstools and took a deep long swig from their glasses of gin.

"Oh it's SO refreshing to drink with someone who knows how to have fun again!" Cruella declared.

"Likewise," Hook agreed. "Strangely enough, I needed that."

"Don't act so surprised, darling," Cruella said as she lit a cigarette. "Everyone needs a little  _ loud _ in their life once in a while."

Cruella took a drag of her cigarette and blew a stream of smoke into the air, making her look like a living chimney. Out of the corner of his eye, Hook noticed someone sliding into the seat on the other side of him.

"Mind if I join you?" Jafar asked as he placed a hand on Hook's shoulder.

"Now then, I've got to run, darlings," Cruella declared quickly as she hopped down from the barstool and gathered up her purse. "Try not to drink yourselves into a stupor... or do. It might be fun. Cheerio, darling! Cheerio!"

Cruella briskly walked away before Hook had a chance to say anything to her, leaving him alone with Jafar.

"I'd expected you to be drinking alone on the Jolly Roger and grew quite concerned when I couldn't find you," Jafar said.

"Well I needed a change of scenery," Hook remarked with a shrug.

"Indeed," Jafar said and paused for a moment before continuing. "Are you... quite alright?"

Human concern and sentiment tasted foreign on Jafar's lips. It always did. But for Hook it was worth it.

"I suppose as alright as I can be expected to be," Hook said with a sigh. "A falling out with the only blood relations I have left, a revenge left unsated, and watching you...."

Hook stopped and turned away. He swallowed hard as though the memory itself had gotten caught in his throat. He took a swig of gin to wash it down. The sweet burn of alcohol only slightly diluted the pain in his chest.

"I suppose at the end of the day, I have very little to mourn," Hook said after a moment as he stared into his glass. "I am exactly as I was prior to our visit to Montressor. No family to speak of, no revenge to sate me, and you as alive and with me as ever. Yet I still feel this burning inside me because... because...."

"Because you almost had everything you wanted, and then in the moment you lost what you wanted, you also almost lost what you had," Jafar said, finishing Hook's sentence for him. "And having been in your position before watching you die and being powerless to stop it, I know exactly how you feel."

Hook nodded and bit back the sour taste in his mouth from hearing it vocalized. He took another sip of gin and grimaced. He wished he'd gotten that refill of rum instead of enduring Cruella's gin, but alcohol was alcohol at the end of the day. Jafar seemed to pick up on this and snapped his fingers, summoning up a bottle of rum that appeared on the counter amidst a puff of red smoke.

"Have I told you lately that I adore you?" Hook asked as he snatched up the rum bottle, uncorked it with his teeth, and began to drink rum straight out of the bottle.

Rum was far sweeter than the gin. It was more comfortable and familiar, and it made Hook feel warm inside like nothing else ever could. He felt like he was dancing again even though he was only sitting still.

"You know what I say?" Hook said as he slammed the bottle a little too hard on the counter. "Fuck family, fuck feeling like shit, and please  _ fuck me! _ "

"You're drunk," Jafar said with a roll of his eyes.

"And you're  _ sober _ ," Hook countered. "I'm not so drunk as to not know what I want. And you just reincarnated in a new body, which I'm fairly certain means you're a virgin once more."

Jafar laughed a bit at that. "You make me sound as though I were some young girl in need of deflowering."

"Come on," Hook said as he pulled Jafar out of his seat and into a Corridor of Darkness leading back to their bedroom. " _ Kill the lights and touch my body. Close your eyes, you can see me by the way that I feel _ ...."

* * *

"How's our patient?" Steve asked as he entered Watts's laboratory.

Arthur Watts and Smythe were hard at work, restoring Daken to full health. The cybernetic skeleton was complete, and now came the tricky part: getting Daken's regenerative cells to accept the new skeleton as its own.

"So far, all is going according to my designs," Watts explained. "We're at a critical juncture in the process, and the next few hours are going to be delicate regarding whether the process succeeds or fails."

"I have the utmost confidence you'll succeed," Steve said as he patted Watts on the back.

"Be careful, doctor, his confidence is a poison," Imperious declared as he strutted into the lab.

Steve whirled around and bared his fangs. "You! What are  _ you _ doing here? Am I gonna have to kill you again?"

"Put your fangs away, boy," Imperious said as he fanned himself. "I was invited back to the Overtakers and wanted to come make amends."

"Bullshit!" Steve snapped. "You're a snake, Imperious, and you came to rub it in my face that you got brought back."

"So mistrusting," Imperious scolded. "I think you're projecting your own treachery onto me. Not for the first time either."

"It eats you up inside that you'll never lead the Overtakers and I did," Steve countered with a grin. "Me, a villain who you thought was harmless and ineffectual, did what you never could."

Imperious scowled at that. "We'll see. The future isn't set in stone now, is it?"

"If you even think about betraying Maleficent, I'll send you right back to Hell where you belong," Steve warned.

"Loyalty doesn't suit you," Imperious said with a scoff. "And what, pray tell, are you working on now?"

"None of your business," Steve said with a scowl as he stepped in front of Daken's remains.

"Ah, restoring dear Daken to life, are we?" Imperious asked as he caught a glimpse of Watts's schematics. "As I recall it was his demise that prompted you to betray me."

"Because you got him killed by sending us into that Shadow World!" Steve snapped. "His blood is on your hands!"

"Quite a lot of blood is," Imperious said with a laugh.

"Excuse me, but as I said we are at a critical juncture in this process," Watts interrupted. "I'm going to have to ask you both to leave my laboratory at once. And before either of you attempt to argue, I will point out that I have ways to remove you if you don't comply. My asking is merely a courtesy."

"Oh I wouldn't dream of denying you, doctor," Imperious said as he turned around and headed to the door. "I have other business elsewhere."

Steve sneered as he watched Imperious leave before turning back to Watts. "Call me if there's any updates."

Watts nodded as Steve dashed away through the opposite door, leaving Watts and Smythe to finish their work.

* * *

In the cockpit of the yacht that Jafar and Hook stole from Canto Bight, Sid and Kieran were enjoying a little alone time. The yacht provided the young couple with a sexy change of scene away from their respective bedrooms. The two young men had stripped down to just their jeans, and Kieran was currently sitting on Sid's lap as they made out with each other in the captain's chair. They were currently just enjoying tasting one another's lips, but they were also eagerly anticipating what would follow.

Sid abruptly broke away from the kiss with a confused expression. "Do you hear that?"

"No," Kieran said as he pressed his lips back down to Sid's.

"No, listen, I'm serious," Sid said as he lightly pushed Kieran away from him.

Kieran sighed but paused to listen, and, strangely enough, he did hear something that sounded like heavy breathing and a bed creaking.

"What the Hell is that?" Kieran asked as he hopped off of Sid's lap and followed the noise.

Sid did the same and followed his boyfriend down the yacht's hallway that led to the cabin. The cabin door was ajar, the light was on, and the noise was coming from inside. Kieran and Sid quietly approached the door and peered in through the crack. Hans and Demyx were inside, partaking in the very act that Sid and Kieran had been about to do. Neither of them noticed their uninvited guests and just continued to thrust back and forth. The two young men backed away from the door quietly.

"I knew they were a couple," Sid whispered to Kieran.

"A couple that stole our spot," Kieran huffed. "If they weren't Overtakers, I'd kill them."

Sid groaned. "Babe, don't talk about murder. You  _ know _ that turns me on."

Kieran smiled devilishly. "Well lucky for us the cockpit has a lock on its door, and in there, I can talk about as much murder as you want...."

Sid's mouth hung open and he nodded eagerly. The two quickly raced back to the cockpit and locked the door, pushing all thoughts of Hans and Demyx to the side.

* * *

A blast of Hellfire demolished the bust of Mephisto sitting in the Hellish throne room. Blackheart paced over its shattered remains, fuming with anger. Ardyn Izunia, meanwhile, was lounging on the throne, casually reading a newspaper.

"I can't believe that entire trip amounted to NOTHING!" Blackheart roared.

"Technically it wasn't  _ nothing _ ," Ardyn said, peering out from behind his copy of the Lucian Herald. "We did release a Great Old One into the universe."

"Ardyn, that's not something good for  _ us! _ " Blackheart said with a sigh.

"Touch é ," Ardyn said with a shrug.

"And after all that we went through, I still have no one to rule Hell in my stead!" Blackheart roared furiously.

"That, on the other hand, may not be entirely true," Ardyn said as he folded up his newspaper. "Consider a moment, darling. You don't want to be bogged down with ruling a kingdom while you play with the Overtakers. We just dragged back someone who ditched the Overtakers so that he could rule a kingdom and who we... well, mostly me but you as well... can control."

"Ahhhh," Blackheart said as a devilish grin crept onto his face as he connected the dots.

* * *

Scar was roughly shoved onto the throne of Hell. He stumbled backwards and landed awkwardly on the seat.

"Congratulations, you're the King of Hell now," Blackheart said as he placed the fire-shaped crown on Scar's head.

Scar straightened the crown. "What in the world is this about?"

"You wanted to be a king, and we needed a regent to reign in Blackheart's stead," Ardyn explained. "A logical development, I'm quite certain you'll agree."

"This is no Phrygia," Scar said with a disappointed sneer.

"Be grateful we're letting you reign in Hell instead of being tortured here," Blackheart said. "You don't exactly deserve the position, but you're easily the best person for the job."

Scar rolled his eyes. "I shall attempt to live up to your expectations."

"Good man," Ardyn said as he patted Scar on the shoulder. "Now then, we'll be expecting periodic updates."

"Make sure everyone is miserable," Blackheart ordered.

"I shall do my best," Scar said, still having a hard time accepting that Blackheart and Ardyn were actually serious.

"Splendid!" Ardyn said as he wrapped his arm around Blackheart. "Now shall we go massacre a civilization?"

Blackheart laughed wickedly. "Oh Ardyn, you certainly know the way to my black black heart."

Scar watched as the two evil immortals vanished into a Corridor of Darkness as he looked out at the Hellish landscape sprawling out before him. If nothing else, this chapter at least promised to be intriguing.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the dining hall of the Eminence Palace, Grimhilde and Hades had opted to treat their two newest Overtakers to dinner. Lord Ombra and Caleb Covington sat on either side of the table with Grimhilde (still in her hag form) and Hades next to them. Right away it was apparent that this combination was hardly the best decision as Caleb was jaunty and lively whilst Ombra was quiet and severe, making for a particularly uncomfortable clashing of personalities.

"So, uh, Ombra, right? You're one of the Great Old Ones?" Hades asked before mouthing 'I don't know what else to say' at Grimhilde.

"Indeed I am," Ombra answered as he reached into the wooden bucket sitting on the table in front of him and began to fish around in the water. "My kind has been here since the age of chaos."

Ombra pulled a live and squirming octopus out of the bucket and promptly began to eat the cephalopod, making disgusting slurping noises as octopus ink squirted everywhere. Grimhilde and Caleb were thoroughly disgusted by this, but given that Hades was currently eating a bowl full of worms, it wasn't the only unappetizing thing at the dinner table.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I know what Fish does behind closed doors?" Hades asked, earning a venomous glare from Grimhilde.

"So, Mister Covington, tell me," Grimhilde said as she prodded her steak with her fork, trying to decide if she had the appetite to eat. "Hades tells me your talent for necromancy is quite impressive."

"Well, I don't like to brag," Caleb said with a grin. "I mean, I do, but I say I don't. But I  _ did _ manage to defeat the Sorcerer's Society."

"An impressive feat," Grimhilde said with a nod.

"Perhaps it is impressive to a mortal," Ombra scoffed as he wiped his "mouth" with his sleeve.

"Eh, Shady's got'cha there," Hades agreed.

"Do not call me Shady," Ombra hissed.

"Too late, nickname has been assigned," Hades said with a smirk. "If you've got complaints, you're free to call my minions to request a change, but it won't do ya any good anyway. HA!"

"You are insufferable," Ombra groaned.

"He'll grow on you eventually," Grimhilde assured Ombra. "Everyone detests Hades when first they meet."

"Hey!" Hades whined.

"Anyway, your majesty," Caleb chimed in, changing the subject. "I heard from a little birdie that you're looking to usurp the Empress Witch."

"Your canary sings a truthful song," Grimhilde said with a sly smile. "I take it you have an interest in aiding in that endeavor?"

"It seems like quite a show stopper," Caleb said. "And I'm always in for a grand finale."

"Oh you are  _ certainly _ one of us," Grimhilde replied with a sinister cackle.

"So I've been told," Caleb replied.

Ombra scoffed but kept his thoughts to himself. It wasn't as if he was jealous of the effortless charm that Caleb exuded. Ombra didn't need charm; he was more powerful than almost anyone in the Overtaken Kingdom. All the same, his ego would have liked a bit more stroking.

"Deposing the Empress Witch is a task fit for an Old One," Ombra declared. "I would be delighted to display my incredible powers of darkness for all our allies to see."

"I welcome both of your help," Grimhilde nodded.

A few feet away from the table, a wash of green flames erupted and Maleficent took form from the fire.

"It is time for you to meet our leader," Grimhilde said to Caleb.

"Babe! Glad you're home!" Hades said as he hopped up from the table, walked over to Maleficent, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "How's the Enchanted Dominion doin'? Cursed and plunged into despair?"

Maleficent laughed lightly. "Indeed it is, Hades. I feel lighter than I have in some time, as though a great weight has been finally lifted from my shoulders."

"I mean ya do have killer shoulders, babe," Hades said as he placed his hands on her shoulders to punctuate his meaning. "No need for pads here. You look strong and fierce all on your own!"

"Because I  _ am _ strong and fierce," Maleficent remarked with a grin.

"Pardon me, your excellency!" Caleb chimed in as he got up from his seat. "But it is an honor to meet you in person. I am Caleb Covington, and I am thrilled to be adding my support to the Overtakers."

"As you should be," Maleficent nodded. "I bid you welcome, Mister Covington."

"Caleb here dealt with our Mozenbrat problem like a champ! Ya should've seen it!" Hades said with a grin.

"Well I'm sure I'll have plenty of chances to show off later," Caleb remarked. "I'm excited to finally be a part of a brotherhood where I won't be misunderstood."

"Indeed you are," Maleficent said with a grin. "Now then, Grimhilde, my dear, I do believe we have delayed our attack on Mammona long enough. Are you prepared to embrace your destiny?"

Grimhilde grinned, showing off her lack of teeth in this form, and the twisted look in her wicked eyes became even more intense.

"I am  _ quite _ ready," Grimhilde said. "It makes me want to put on a happy face!"

A wash of dark magic came over Grimhilde, and in an instant she regained her queenly face. The sly smile of her blood red lips marked a devious intention and a barely contained excitement. It was time for the queen to at last regain her crown.

* * *

Hugo Strange examined the blood sample under his microscope, totally enthralled in examining the cells in the sample to the point where he didn't notice someone else entering into his laboratory.

"Hello Hugo," Fish said, starling him and causing him to leap backwards from the microscope clutching his chest.

"Ah, Miss Mooney!" Strange said as he regained his composure. "What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my laboratory this evening?"

"I'm feeling a bit down on myself," Fish admitted. "In that last battle with the Sorcerer's Society, I could barely hold my own against an old woman with an oversized hammer."

"Ah, so you're dealing with feelings of inadequacy and have come to me for therapy," Strange remarked. "Well your feelings are the most natural thing in the-"

Fish clicked her tongue and wagged her finger. "No, no, none of that. Therapy is for white people with money, and I can handle my own feelings better than you ever could."

"Then why are you here?" Strange asked.

"I have the power to control the mind of anyone I touch," Fish said. "Yet if I can't get close enough to touch my enemy, I'm as vulnerable as any ordinary human. I tried learning sea-witchcraft once, but it didn't take. I think it's high time I got an upgrade and you were put to use for me."

Strange raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me to augment your DNA further?"

"That's  _ exactly _ what I'm asking," Fish nodded. "I'm a core Overtaker. It's time I had the power to match!"

"Miss Mooney, what you're asking for... is a tall order," Strange warned. "Your body has already undergone the reanimation process, the DNA modification process, and the process of stabilizing your decaying DNA. Further genetic augmentation could destabilize your already delicately balanced body. You could wind up decaying beyond repair."

Fish clicked her tongue and wagged her finger once more. "Hugo _ooo_. Now you know I don't like being told  _ no _ . I can force you to do it with a touch of my hand or you can do it willingly. Your choice."

"Fine, but you have to tell Ursula what you're planning," Strange remarked with a sigh. "If this accidentally kills you, I don't want the sea witch coming after my throat."

"Fair deal," Fish nodded. "Now, I was thinking something nautical to keep with the theme."

"There are a few creatures whose DNA might prove compatible," Strange said with a smirk. "It'll be marvelous, yes truly marvelous."

Fish laughed lightly to herself. "I always am."

* * *

Back at Disney Castle, Peter Pan flew around the top of the immense audience chamber, zipping from corner to corner with the enthusiasm of a hyperactive kid (despite the fact that he was now an adult).

"WHOA! It's so big in here! Why do you need this much room?" Peter asked.

"Come down from there!" Donald shouted, shaking his fist at Peter.

Jim laughed a bit at Peter's antics and glanced down at King Mickey. "Thanks again for letting my mom stay here with you for the time being. I'm sure she'll be safer here than back on Montressor."

"Aw, no problem, pal!" Mickey said with a grin. "It was the least I could do!"

"I wish Silver came with us," Jim sighed. "Him going back to the Lagoon Nebula after everything... It feels like I lost him all over again."

"Aww, don't feel bad, Jim," Goofy said with a grin. "As long as you've got Silver in your heart, you and him ain't never gonna be apart!"

Jim smiled a bit at that. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right."

Peter flew up to the giant statue of Donald and examined it carefully. "Hmm, I don't see the resemblance."

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Donald shouted up at Peter.

Peter Pan descended back to the ground and landed next to Jim. He put his arm around Jim and leaned up against his new friend. Jim immediately blushed at the physical contact, but he in no way wanted it to stop.

"So what's the plan for dealin' with those villains?" Peter asked.

Mickey looked down and sighed. "Gosh, I gotta admit, I don't really know. I've been tryin' to follow 'em and patch up the evil they're doin', but I don't really know what they want or how to stop 'em for good."

Donald's shoulders slumped. "Yeah. It feels like a new mess pops up after every mess we clean up!"

"What... what about, I mean, what about Peter's friend Sora?" Jim asked, trying not to let his embarrassment show in his voice at having an attractive guy leaning up against him. "You said he was missing but still alive. Would finding him help?"

"We already tried... A LOT!" Donald said. "Kairi and Axel are still looking for him. And we haven't heard from them in weeks!"

"But Donald, we can't give up hope!" Goofy chimed in. "We're gonna find Sora and Riku eventually."

"Riku?" Jim and Peter asked in unison as their faces turned to concerned expressions.

"But we just  _ fought _ Riku!" Jim said. "He was just with the Overtakers back at Skull Rock!"

"WHAT?" Mickey, Donald, and Goofy shouted at once.

"But Riku would never work for them!" Mickey said as he shook his head.

"Well he sure did back when I first met him," Peter pointed out. "Donald and Goofy were there too!"

"But he turned good after that!" Goofy said. "If he was with the Overtakers, they must'a messed with his heart!"

"That's no fair!" Donald squawked.

"They've gone too far this time!" Mickey said as he furrowed his brow. "We've gotta go rescue him! He'd do the same for any of us!"

"Wait, you mean go into their lair?" Jim asked with concern. "But we could barely get the best of two of those guys, let alone the rest and Lord Ombra!"

"Oh come on, Jim!" Peter said with a mischievous smirk. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

Jim sighed but nodded. "Okay, yeah, fine, I'll help. I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll try!"

"Yeah!" Donald chimed in.

"Me too!" Goofy added.

"But if we're gonna go into that dark castle, we're gonna need some more pals to help us out!" Mickey declared.

"Gawrsh, Mickey, whaddya mean?" Goofy asked.

Mickey summoned up a portal of light magic and then turned to face the others. "It's time for us to start a team of our own!"


End file.
